Ashley Cutter Handson: Primeval- Season 2
by Love and HeartBreak21
Summary: Ashley Cutter-Handson is back with the rest of the team. Ashley is worried about her father, because of Claudia Brown. But can they survive the bomb shell Helen Cutter dropped? Can Stephen's and Cutter's friendship last? Along with Ashley's and Stephen's relationship? It only makes it worse that more anomalies are coming, what will happen? ON TEMPORARY HIATUS.
1. The Prologue

**Prologue **

Nick Cutter's P.O.V. 

My name is Professor Nick Cutter. Eight years ago my wife, Helen disappeared. My daughter and I discovered she had stepped into the past through ruptures in time called, anomalies. Now creatures from the past threaten the Human Race. There's only a small group of people, who know the truth. My research team: My daughter Ashley Cutter-Handson, Stephen Hart, Connor Temple, and Abby Maitland. And Government Officials's James Lester and Claudia Brown

My daughter and I returned from the past to find that something has gone terribly wrong and Claudia Brown had vanished as though she had been born. Ashley can't remember Claudia either, for some odd reason. We've come to a different world and Helen and I are the only two people who know it.

* * *

**This was a quick prologue, I also think it was a cool idea to make Ashley forget Claudia Brown too, because Ashley was with Cutter. I hope you guys will enjoy this new Primeval series! Stay tuned for Episode 1 of Primeval: Season 2! **

**-Love and HeartBreak21**


	2. Episode 1: The Raptors

**Primeval-Season 2 **

**Episode 1**

* * *

At the Castle Cross Shopping Mall, there was a bowling alley. People were playing it, smiling and laughing while they did. Bowling balls rolled down the small alleys, knocking down none or some or all of the bowling pines.

One young girl, about a teenage, smiled as she got a a good score, knocking down about 3-5 pines. Suddenly, something shot out of nowhere above the bowling pines, her smile died down as she looked at it, wondering what it was and she squinted her eyes curiously.

Suddenly a red bowling ball, the one the girl was using was rolling onto a desert small hill, no where near a mall, or anywhere. It stopped to spot, it was now all dirty and dusty.

Then, a large claw came and placed it on the bowling ball. Something made a curious noise and looked down at the ball and sniffed it curiously, the creature looked up just to see a shinny light, shimmering at its home.

It was an Anomaly.

* * *

**Forest of Dean **

" Oh my god." Nick Cutter breathed as he turned to look at the anomaly.

" It's closing." Connor Temple said to Nick Cutter as he held the small golden compass in his hand, looking at the strange anomaly and then back at the Professor.

Ashley Cutter-Handson's eyes turned wide as she saw her father running towards the anomaly. She gasped as Stephen Hart and her ran to go and stop him from going through. She held onto him tightly, not wanting to loose him over this Claudia Brown.

" No. I have to go... I have to make things right!" Cutter said, as the two restrained him from going through. Ashley shook her head, holding onto him tightly as he struggled to get out of their grip.

" Don't be stupid." Stephen hissed at him, and Ashley glared over at him, remembering what had happened. She turned to look back at her father as she said to him,

" You'll get marooned there. I know, I've been there." she told him.

Suddenly the anomaly in front of them had just disappeared. Cutter's eyes widen as he stared at where the anomaly had just disappeared, leaving him in this new world he had just stepped back into.

Ashley and Stephen let go of Cutter, as Ashley gave him a concerned look. She didn't care if her head was hurting like hell, her eyes burned, her body was shaking slightly, and her body ached, she was worried about her father at the moment.

Cutter then turned to his team. " No." he breathed. " Something's happened. Something's happened while we were in there. Something's changed." he told them rapidly.

Everyone gave him curious looks, as Ashley put a hand on his shoulder. She was worried going through the anomalies has made his mind think of things. Like Claudia Brown, for a great example.

" The world's evolved differently." he continued, looking at his daughter, as he wondered what could have happened in the past to make Claudia disappear. He looked at Ashley, praying that she would remember.

He then gripped her shoulders. " Ashley. Ashley, look. You were there with me. With Helen. You have to remember her. " Cutter pleaded, his eyes wide, Ashley shook her head, her bangs swinging in her eyes.

" Dad... I don't. I don't even know who she is." she told him truthfully. He wasn't going crazy... was he?

" On my way. " James Lester said, and hung up on his phone and turned to the team. " I think we're done here, aren't we?" Lester asked.

Cutter shook his head and Ashley looked at him with concern and worriment. " No, no." Cutter said as he walked behind Lester, before gripping his shoulders and looking him right in the eyes.

" No, Claudia Brown." he said, his blue-grey eyes still wide. " She's been with us since the beginning, she was in charge of the day-to-day anomaly operation."

Lester shook his head.

" No, it's Leek. Oliver Leek. You can't have forgotten him, you saw him at the ARC this morning. " Lester said, looking at him.

Cutter raised an eye brow, his eyes still wide. " The what?" he asked, confused.

Now Ashley was confused, he should have remembered what the ARC was, right? He's been there many times before. " The ARC. The Anomaly Research Centre." Ashley explained to him, her voice a bit cracked because of her soft crying.

Abby noticed this and nodded her head, walking next to her friend. " No, no. You-You mean the Home Office." Cutter interjected, looking at Ashley.

" No, we moved from that place ages ago." Abby stated, looking at Cutter, with the same concerned look as Ashley.

Cutter's head began to feel dizzy, as he looked around the Home Office. He looked over at the team, they probably thought he was crazy or something, or something else like that.

He stopped in his tracks, feeling even more dizzy. " Is he having a nervous breakdown, dearie?" Lester asked, Ashley, who looked up at him and glared. She wanted nothing more then to just walk up to him and slap his face. She really hated him now.

" Anyhow, I've got a meeting, so if someone could call an ambulance..." Lester trailed off, walking towards the car that was waiting for him.

" He's fine." Abby said, looking at Cutter in confusement.

Cutter then stopped, as he fell to the ground, now keeling on it, his brain running and his heart pounding. What happened? What changed? Other questions went through his mind.

" Getting a little old for imaginary friends, Professor." Lester commented over his shoulder to Cutter. Ashley glared at him and then looked down at her father, and held his hands to help him up, curiosity, worriment, confusement, and concern, and hurt shinning in her eyes all at once.

She helped him back to the car as he got in the passenger seat, as she sat next to him, Stephen, Abby, and Connor climbing in the back. Through the whole drive, whenever they stopped at a red light, Ashley would glance at her father in concern, she sometimes even saw Stephen staring at her, which made her uncomfortable and her heart heart even more.

* * *

**Castle Cross Shopping Mall**

The shopping mall was empty, everyone had gone home, and the only ones there, were two security guards. They were in the surveillance room checking for any intruders.

One of the security guards, sat at the computers, checking them over. His partner than opened the door and closed it, and then leaned down beside his partner staring at the computer screens.

" Quiet night." he said.

Suddenly, on one of the computer monitors, a dark blue bowling ball was seem moving back to the starting point, down in the games room. " What the-?" one of the security guards mumbled. " Spoke to soon, probably kids." he sighed. He then grabbed a radio and headed out the door to see what exactly was going on.

Down at the arcade, the security guard that was searching for the kids, didn't see any. He walked the length of the bowling lane, and then stopped when he heard a noise behind the bowling stands. There was a snarling sound as he knelt down and shone his torch light to try and see what was going on.

" Okay funs over." he said, and when he finished, a half eaten pine was just thrown at him. He then looked over at his radio, and said into it,

_" I need back up we got an intruder." _he said over the radio, as he still stared at the bowling stands.

The second security guard left the surveillance room to go to his partner.

" Don't make me come in there and get you." the man said, as the 'intruder' didn't show himself or herself.

After he waited a bit, he stood up and left to go to the back of the bowling stands. It was a dark room. He heard chattering and snarling, he shone his torch in the dark room to see what was going on. The sound was coming from one of the stands, and then suddenly, a giant lizard-like creature jumped at him.

He screamed, and his partner heard his screams and walked half out of the bowling alley, and ran to the main part of the gaming room, where he heard snarling and crashing. he looked around frantically to see what it was.

He started running out of the mall, looking over his shoulder. He then screamed when he was suddenly attacked by the creature.

* * *

**Anomaly Research Centre **

Stephen parked outside, as he Ashley, Cutter, Abby, and Connor walked into the building. Stephen, Abby, and Connor then left to go in different rooms, as Ashley stayed with her father. She watched as his gaze followed Connor into the locker room, and his gaze stopped on two of the locker name. It was his name and his daughter's name.

**'NICK CUTTER' **

He then looked over at the locker with Ashley's name on it. **'ASHLEY CUTTER-HANDSON' **

Cutter watched as Connor was on a skateboard, and rode up to Abby and poked her blonde hair, messing it up slightly, as she tried to keep the smile off of her face. He looked over at Stephen, who just took a drink of what seemed like coffee.

Ashley looked over at her father, and nudged his shoulder gently. He stared at her and nodded, Ashley was going to show him around the ARC, since he had no idea where everything was, apparently.

" Evening Professor. Miss Cutter-Handson." a blonde woman smiled at them, and Ashley nodded politely. " Evening, Ms. Lakes." Ashley smiled slightly, and cleared her throat when her voice seemed off.

Ashley looked over at her father, who just seemed confused, as if he didn't know who the woman was. Cutter then looked around, and Ashley opened the double doors, gently pointing and speaking in a soft voice to where everything was.

Cutter then took time to look around the ARC in silence, but Lester's voice soon broke it.

" What have we got?" Lester asked.

" New creature report." came a unfamiliar voice, but only unfamiliar to Cutter, everyone else knew who he was.

The man with the unfamiliar voice handed Lester a piece of paper and followed Lester down a stair-like walkway, headed over to Cutter and Ashley, as he continued to talk.

" An intercepted emergency call at the Castle Cross Shopping Mall... security guard screaming something about a monster." the man added, he had grey hair and wore a suit like Lester.

" A shopping mall? God help us." Lester commented reading the paper he had received from the man.

" I've instructed the police to stay out of it until we've investigated." the man said, and Ashley kept close to her father, as the man walked over to them, a smirk on his face.

" Oh Professor, glad to see you and your daughter are back, well and safe." the man told them.

" Though I hear you're wife won't be joining us." he added though, and Ashley looked over at her father, seeing that he didn't know who this man was, by the look on his face, and she then glared at the man, as he mentioned her mother.

" Who the hell are you?" Cutter asked, and Ashley winced. She watched as the smirk on the man's face vanished.

" Oh yes. Professor Cutter seems to be suffering from some kind of Stress-related amnesia. He seems to forgotten... well, pretty much everything, really." Lester said, his arms folded over his chest.

Ashley glared at Lester, and he noticed, and raised an eye brow. " Yes, dearie?" he asked her, and only facing her. Not seeing the annoyed glance that Cutter gave him. Ashley rolled her eyes, " Nothing." she muttered.

Cutter then looked up at the ceiling, the bright lights shinning on his face, and then back at Lester and the man. " Nope. Haven't forgotten a thing, wish I could." he told them.

Ashley really wanted to believe him, but she knew his was lying, she knew him too well.

" Now he's being enigmatic as well! What a vivid repertoire. You're really telling me you don't know who this man is?" Lester asked, facing Cutter, as Ashley looked at Lester, pure dislike in her eyes.

Connor was over by the large double doors, looking at Connor curiously. Cutter stared back at the young man, and then turned around and faced his daughter, who looked back at him, and she looked like she was about to give him the answer.

" No, of course I know who he is. It's Leek, Oliver Leek. I know exactly who he is." Cutter answered, putting on a fake smile.

They all stood in silence. " Is this some kind of industrial action, or did no-one hear that we have a creature sighting in a shopping mall?" Lester called to everyone and then they all looked over at him and nodded.

" Guys, come on." Stephen's voice broke Ashley and Cutter from their thoughts, as Stephen entered the main building. Ashley then spun around to her boyfriend, and she finally looked at him. The scene from the Forest of Dean, suddenly playing in her mind. She shook her head, and looked away from him.

She still couldn't believe that the man she loved, slept with her mum. To make it even worse, she didn't know what to do about it. Ashley looked over to see Cutter with a blank expression, and she knew he was feeling the same way. Stephen was her father's oldest friend, and yet he had slept with his wife and never told him.

Ashley and Cutter then looked at each other and started walking.

" Cutter has always been eccentric, but I'm beginning to think he's just plan deranged." Lester muttered to Leek, Ashley then stopped in her tracks and growled lowly at the comment, she was getting sick and tired of Lester always making comments about her father, she felt a hand on her shoulder to see her dad and she nodded.

And they continued to walk.

" Well I suppose all very brilliant men are a bit... unusual, sir." Leek responded back to Lester.

" I'm brilliant Leek, and I'm not the least bit unusual." Lester said to Leek.

Leek nodded and smiled nervously at Lester, who still had a serious face on. Leek then walked away, to do whatever he needed to do.

* * *

" You didn't have a clue who Leek was then did you?" Ashley asked her father as they walked down the bright halls, in the corner of her eye she saw Connor come up to them.

Cutter shook his head. " Uh-uh." He said looking over at Ashley, and saw Connor and her share nervous glances.

" Okay. You're officially freaking us out." Connor said, talking about him and Ashley, as she swatted his arm and through a glare at him.

" Let me get this straight, you're saying that something changed, because of what happened in the Permian Era?" Ashley asked her dad, her mind thinking of what was happening. If Cutter and Helen remembered Claudia, shouldn't she?

" Like evolution had just altered course?" Connor added.

" Glad you two were listening." Cutter said, turning his attention to the pair.

Ashley and Connor breathed in disbelief, that this was actually happening. " You believe me?" Cutter asked, facing the two.

" All right, we'll buy it." Connor answered, after the two thought for a minute.

" I could kiss you Connor." Cutter said, with a smile, glad that they actually believed him.

" That's really sweet, but maybe not while those people are watching." Connor smiled at him, and Ashley gently rolled her eyes, as Cutter smiled over at Ashley giving a small laugh.

" You, I can." he said, and kissed her forehead, and she and Cutter continued walking.

Connor then started to follow them. " One thing though, how do I know I'm different, when I don't even know what I was like before?" Connor asked, Ashley then started wondering that two, as she stared at her father, who was looking at Connor.

" Apparently some people never change." Cutter said, as he and Ashley turned to the corner to leave the ARC.

" Is that a good or bad thing?" Connor called, still in the spot where he was. Ashley smiled, and held Connor's arm and walked with him out of the building, quietly thanking him for comforting her at the Forest of Dean, along with Abby.

* * *

**Castle Cross Shopping Mall **

Ashley, Stephen, and Abby were filling some tranquilizer darts with a silver liquid. Abby and Stephen were speaking quietly, as Stephen kept looking over at his girlfriend, but she looked down at her dart and then over at her father, as he was standing in front of the car alone.

" What are we using?" Stephen's voice, broke Ashley from her thoughts.

" Ketemine Phenyl. But it would help if I knew what size creature we were dealing with. Ashley and I had a guess at the dosage." Abby answered, handing Ashley a gun.

" Where's my gun?" Connor asked, stopping beside Ashley and opening the top of a box.

Stephen looked over at Connor. " Abby's got one. And so does Ashley." he said, looking over at the two women.

" They know how to use them." Stephen answered, as he held a gun he was going to use.

" How many animals have you tranquilized?" Ashley asked him, a grin on her face as she faced her friend.

" I've played darts. You now sometimes I think you don't trust me with firearms." Connor defended, Ashley gave a soft chuckle, getting her tranq gun ready for action.

" Don't know what gives you that idea." Stephen answered. " You ready?" Stephen asked, facing the two women.

The two nodded. " Yeah." they said, as the three of them walked towards the front of the truck, Connor following them.

" So what now?" Stephen asked, as he, Abby, and Connor were all in a row, Cutter and Ashley in front of them.

" We go in." Ashley said, as she and Stephen looked at each other for once. She blinked rapidly and started walking next to her father. Stephen, Abby, and Connor behind them.

* * *

The five of them reached the shutters of the shopping mall, and they stopped by a rattling sound by the other side. Ashley stepped in front of her father, and held her gun as Abby was beside her, and Stephen knelt down on one knee, their guns aimed at the shutter.

More sounds came, and then the shutter raised and they all expected a creature to be on the other side, but it was just a man. He held his hands up in defense, when he saw the three guns pointed at him.

Ashley set down her gun, and rolled her eyes, moving her hair out of her eyes and sighed. Wasn't this place suppose to be empty?

" Who are you?" Ashley asked, sighing.

" Duty Manager." he responded, looking at Ashley with wide-eyes.

" Tell us what happened. " Stephen inquired, walking forwards to him.

He looked over at Stephen. " We got an emergency call from one of our private operatives. We haven't been able to raise him since." the duty manager answered.

" What did he say?" Cutter asked.

" He didn't really say anything... he just sort of screamed." the duty manager answered, looking at the five of them.

" Did you see anything in there?" Cutter asked, moving forward.

The man shook his head.

" I want you to close the shutters behind us, and I don't want you to open them until I tell you its safe, because whatever happens, it mustn't get out." Cutter explained to him, and Ashley winced softly at the fear and wonder in the duty manager's eyes.

" What mustn't get out?" he asked.

Cutter just stared at him, before walking away, Ashley, Stephen, Abby, and Connor following him. Connor wiggled/raised his eye brows at the duty manager in a funny way as he walked by. They entered the building, as the duty manager closed the shutters as Abby and Connor stared at him, but before they closed he asked.

" Hang on, who the hell are you lot?" he asked.

* * *

Ashley was walking next to her father, looking around the mall to see if anything happened. But when she moved to quickly, she winced at a pain in her chest and looked down to see the bandages still on her chest, when the future predator attacked. She swallowed and then kept walking.

Stephen was behind them, as he quickly started to catch up with them, and Connor and Abby stayed in the back. Stephen was then next to Ashley, as he stared at the two, he was waiting to ask this question for a while now.

" We okay?" Stephen asked them.

" About what?" Ashley asked, not staring at him, pretending to not know what he was talking about. Stephen then bit his tongue, and looked over at his girlfriend, who he loved.

" Can't ignore what happened." Stephen said in response.

The 29 year old bit her lip to stop from snapping at him. Cutter noticed this, and then answered him.

" Oh, you mean the fact that you slept with my wife? Stephen If you're looking for a closure, we're a little bit busy." Cutter answered him.

" I don't blame you two for being angry." Stephen said.

" Look, Helen never cared about either of us. She's mad." Cutter told him, temper rising.

Stephen looked over at Ashley, who kept on walking forwards. " Mad?" he repeated.

" She took off through an anomaly for 8 years; does that strike you as well-balanced? Just forget her. I'm finished with the past. It's just, I don't know if it's finished with me." Cutter said, as Ashley sighed.

Abby and Connor were walking behind them, and Connor held his small golden compass. " Don't you hate it when people bring their personal lives to work with them?" Connor asked Abby, trying to make a joke.

Ashley heard this, and stopped in her tracks and glared daggers at Connor, as he put his hands up in surrender, and gulped. She rolled her eyes and continued walking and Abby gave him a disbelieving look.

* * *

**Surveillance Room **

The team got in the Surveillance room, Connor took a chair in front of the computers so he could operate all of the computers, and search for the creature. Something that Ashley had already been doing.

" Can you get any closer?" Cutter asked him, as Ashley was next to Connor, her hands on the desk as she stared at the screen to get a glimpse of any creature.

Connor hit some buttons, that Ashley didn't pay attention to and the camera's changed slightly.

" Come on, show us what you are." Cutter said to himself quietly.

Suddenly something ran by, on the second floor, catching Ashley's eye.

" Wait, what's that?" Ashley asked, as she pointed to the screen.

" Not sure." Connor replied, and he replayed the camera, the creature came back onto the screen, as Connor quickly paused the camera.

Ashley looked at the screen in amazement, a wide smile growing on her face. " Cretaceous Era, Theropod dinosaur. Genuine article." Ashley whispered, still looking at the screen.

" Raptor. I always thought we'd get one someday." Connor said, staring at the screen like Ashley was. Ashley's smile widen, she loved raptors, they were her favorite dinosaur since she saw 'Jurassic Park' and she loved them, and now there was a live one. She always studied raptors, and loved them so much.

" It's beautiful." Cutter whispered. Suddenly the raptor lunged at the camera, and destroyed it. It made everyone jump back, as they all stared at Cutter.

" I said it was beautiful, I didn't say it was friendly." Cutter added.

After they left the safety of the Surveillance Room, the team walked into the Game room cautiously. They were all on their guard knowing that the raptor could be anywhere. Cutter and Stephen started heading forward, as Connor started back for the door. Abby and Ashley turned and stopped him.

" Oi! Where you going?" Ashley asked him, as Abby crossed her arms over her chest, looking around the room.

" Going to get a slushy. Shh." he told them, and then ran off. The two women shared looks, and they rolled their eyes before following him over to where he was going.

* * *

Cutter was walking around the game room, when he heard a familiar sound. He looked over his shoulder and then walked into a room and his eyes widen as he saw what was in front of him.

An anomaly.

He's seen many anomalies, but they always were so amazing. Instead of a white, shinning color and was small, this one looked larger and was a golden color, he stared in amazement at it.

The Professor felt something behind him, and moved his head of the way before a metal knife came flying towards him and then flew into the anomaly, he also heard footsteps from behind him as Stephen walked behind him.

" It gets me every time." Cutter said, as Stephen walked closer to the anomaly, behind Cutter.

" You think the raptor has gone back through?" Stephen asked him.

Cutter shook his head slightly. " When was life ever that simple?"

* * *

" Oi! Hope you're gonna pay for that." Abby said, as she and Ashley found Connor near a slushy machine.

" Yeah, if you can lend me a fiver." Connor said.

Ashley sighed as Abby took out a five dollar bill and handed it to Connor, the two women then walked away back the way they had came from.

" Thank you Abby." Connor said to Abby as the two woman started walking away.

Connor was closing the top of the slushy and then heard a hissing and chirping noises, and froze, feeling a lump in his throat. He looked over next to him slightly, to see half of the raptor eating or trying to eat some gumballs from the gumball machine.

He looked over at the raptor, as it lifted its head up, chewing the gum, and having a hard time with hit. Connor then started backing away slowly from the prehistoric creature, as it hissed.

That's when Ashley and Abby stopped in their tracks. They heard a hissing noise come behind them, and Ashley stepped in front of Abby, as the two say Connor backing away slowly, his eyes wide.

" Girls..." he said shortly.

" What?" they asked.

" Close the shutter." he answered them.

" Okay." Abby said. Ashley and Abby then ran over to the shutter.

The raptor then spotted Connor, and Connor gulped. " Really quickly." he added.

They pressed the button on the shutter, as it started to close. The raptor then lunged at Connor, and he started running, fear all over his face. The two women looked in fear at their friend.

" Run Connor!" Ashley shouted as the shutter was starting to close.

" Connor RUN!" Abby shouted louder, as the shutter was closing faster. The raptor was gaining on Connor.

" COME ON!" They yelled, as they hoped he would come to them. Connor looked over his shoulder, at the Raptor that was right behind him, he then threw his slushy at the raptor and then slid under the shutter before it closed.

The three of them heard rattling on the other side of the shutter, as the raptor collided with the shutter. Ashley sighed in relief as she heard running from behind her. She turned around to see her father and her boyfriend.

" Argh.. I hate that." Connor groaned.

" What?" Cutter asked, looking over at Connor.

Connor looked up at him. " Brain freeze... from the Slushy." Connor answered, placing a hand on his head. Ashley glared at him and started walking away, muttering under her breath so Connor could hear.

" Silly arse." she muttered. The raptor then hit the shutters again and Connor sighed.

" Right, go check the atrium, make sure we can contain her."

* * *

Stephen, Cutter, and Ashley were walking along the halls to the parking lot, and Abby and Connor were behind them.

" We need more fire power. This is a raptor." Stephen said as he, Ashley, and Cutter started walking to the parking lot.

" I've lost a friend because we disrupted nature once to often, and I don't intend on letting up happen again." Cutter stated.

Ashley kept walking, she knew he was talking about Claudia Brown.

" You sure you're okay?" Stephen asked Cutter.

Cutter then turned to face Stephen. " Under the circumstances, I'd say I was doing pretty well." Cutter said. They both nodded and Ashley sighed in relief quietly as she saw small smiles on their faces.

Then, hissing.

The team stopped when they heard a hissing sound. It was coming from the hall near the one they were in. They took slow, and quiet steps forward over to where the sound was coming from.

" Wait." Cutter said holding out his arm, stopping Connor and Abby from moving. " Abby, give me your gun. " Abby then handed Cutter her gun, " Stay here." he added. Cutter, Ashley, and Stephen walked over down the hallways towards the noise. Ashley held her breath, praying that if it was the raptor, they would be able to get out before it could attack them.

" You're good?" Cutter asked the two, as Ashley was ready to aim her gun. They looked over at him and nodded. Down the hallway, the hissing noise was getting louder and there was a shadow coming towards them. " Go." Cutter said as the three of them turned away from the corner they were at and held their guns to a firing point.

But what they saw wasn't a raptor.

Instead, it was a man. The night cleaner at the Shopping Mall.

" Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't shoot." the man pleaded, turning off his machine and holding his hands up in defense.

Stephen dropped his gun and sighed in frustration. Ashley dropped her gun and muttered under her breath, wiping her brown hair from her face. How many people were here when a raptor was on the loose?

" Ashley, Connor, Abby. Get this guy out of here." Cutter ordered simply. Cutter then walked back towards Abby, and handed her the gun back. Ashley nodded and looked over at the man. Then she looked back at Stephen, as he answered his phone.

" Come on, you'll be fine." Abby said, as Ashley looked away from Stephen and turned to walk away.

Stephen put his phone down and looked over at Ashley walking away with Connor and Abby in silence. Once she disappeared in the corner, Stephen snapped out of his gaze and turned back to Cutter, who raised an amused eye brow at him.

" Lester wants to know whats going on." Stephen said, getting right to the point as he handed Cutter the phone.

Cutter sighed. " We have confirmed the anomaly and one very angry raptor." Cutter told Lester.

* * *

**The ARC **

Lester was walking down the walkway-staircase as Leek was holding a white sheet of paper, trying to get Lester's attention, as Lester spoke to Cutter over the phone.

" I'll put armed back-up on Standby and tell the owners there's been a security scan. They'll have to stay closed as long as it takes-" Lester then dropped the phone from his ear and turned to Leek.

" Leek! Has the concept of personal space ever been explained to you?"

" Sorry, sir. It's from the Ministry." Leek said, showing Lester the paper, and Lester took the paper from his hands.

" Private Sector, Public Relation-Manager. What am I suppose to do with one of those?" Lester said.

" Ah, well, the Minister thinks that we need more help with the media. He feels that the situation is kinda.. getting out of hand." Leek explained.

Lester then gave him a look.

" His words, not mine, sir." Leek said to him.

Lester then put the paper in Leek's chest and started walking again. " The last thing I need is some greasy, PR supremo sucking up to the press. This isn't a Reality T.V. show."

Lester then held the phone back to his ear. " Let me know the _minute _it's safe to re-open. And keep in touch, you know how I worry when I don't hear from you." Lester could just see Cutter roll his eyes at the comment.

" A raptor in a shopping centre, how am I going to explain that to the owners?"

Lester then stopped, and put his hand on the railing, and idea forming in his head and a grin on his face. " I think a PR person might not be such a bad idea after all."

* * *

**Castle Cross Shopping Mall **

Ashley, Abby, Connor, and the cleaner were escorting out of the building. They were on the Escalators, and heading down the main floor in silence. But then the cleaner broke the silence.

" I haven't got my jacket." he said to them.

" You can get it later." Ashley explained, looking down at the man.

" I need my wallet and my keys." he responded. Ashley bit her lip and then turned to Connor and Abby who nodded, and Ashley turned back to the cleaner and nodded at him.

They all were in silence again, as Ashley looked next to her, any signs of the raptor. She felt someone's eyes on her and turned her head to see the cleaner looking up and down at her, checking her out.

" Oi!" Connor said to him, like a protective brother. He stood straight and faced forward again, as Ashley rolled her eyes at him. Abby gave a disbelieving chuckle.

* * *

**Laser Tag Room **

Cutter and Stephen walked into what seemed like a Laser Tag Room, Stephen holding his gun. There were bright neon lights everywhere, and special walls were people could hide if they were playing laser tag, there were bins and shapes everywhere.

They stopped at where a door a door was suppose to be, as it was smashed off its hinges, as the door lead to the next room.

" Smashed clean off its hinges." Stephen said, looking over at the door.

Stephen turned to Cutter. " It's big." Stephen said. Cutter looked over at Stephen and nodded with a 'Yeah-I-Know' face and Stephen slowly entered the next room, Cutter following slowly behind him.

They were in another laser room. They looked around the room cautiously and slowly for any signs of a raptor.

A loud booming noise made them both spin around, Stephen aiming his gun in a firing position. They sighed in annoyance as it was just some target that was suppose to fall.

They split up slowly, still staying close, they were just in different areas of the room. Cutter went in one area, very slowly. He looked around, and saw one of the walls that you hide behind as it had a circle through it.

Suddenly, the raptor's head came and hissed and shrieked at Cutter. He jumped back and stared wide eyed at the creature. It hissed again and then jumped on something, which made Cutter look up.

The raptor then came down, and Cutter spun around. The raptor was now in front of him, and hissed. Cutter was wide eyed still, and was not armed with a weapon at all.

It made a move to lung at him, but Cutter moved away and hide behind some of the special walls. The raptor though, was very smart. It didn't chase after him yet, it just knocked down the walls like Dominos. It made Cutter have to hold the walls in place so they didn't fall on top of him.

Stephen was then in the same room as him, and the raptor saw him and lunged at him. Stephen grabbed a object in the room, and used it as a shield, the raptor was trying to get through it, by biting it.

Stephen had dropped his gun on the ground. " CUTTER!" he yelled for help. The professor then crawled on the floor, and grabbed Stephen's gun and aimed it for the raptor.

" In your own time!" Stephen shouted, as the raptor was getting close to eating him. Cutter still sat there, holding the gun, not shooting the creature as it was still going for Stephen.

He then shot the gun, but nothing came out. It was jammed. The raptor was getting closer to Stephen, as Stephen tried to kick it off with his free feet, he looked over at Cutter, anger and fear in his eyes.

" Just shoot the damn thing!" he yelled. But Cutter didn't move the gun.

" Shoot it!" Stephen yelled again, his eyes now on the angry raptor.

One of the targets then went off, and it distracted the raptor and got off of Stephen and ran somewhere else. Stephen dropped the object he used as a shield and looked over at where the raptor ran off, panting for air.

" You alright?" Cutter asked, and Stephen turned to him. A angry and disbelieved look on his face. _Was he really just going to let me die like that? Was he really that mad at me? _Stephen thought.

" Got jammed." Cutter added, knowing what Stephen was thinking. Stephen gave a 'Really?' look and shook his head slightly, and got up to go somewhere. Cutter then looked down at the gun, not saying a word.

* * *

**Locker Rooms **

Ashley, Connor, and Abby followed the cleaner into the locker room. Ashley and Abby stood at the doorway, and held their guns up, on guard if the raptor was in here. Connor then flicked on the lights, making the dark room bright.

" Wait, did you leave that door open?" Abby asked the cleaner, still in her position as she glanced over her shoulder.

" What? I don't remember." he answered.

Connor then looked at the two women. " Give me the gun." he ordered.

" What?" Abby and Ashley asked, not looking at him.

" Come on." he said again.

" No." Ashley answered.

" Please?" he asked again, like a little kid.

" No." Ashley answered quickly again.

" It's just for a minute. Would you two ladies like to go first?" he asked them. Ashley and Abby shared a look. Ashley then sighed, and looked over at Connor and handed him her gun.

" Thank you." Connor said to her, and she rolled her eyes. He then entered the room like James Bond would do in his action movie. Abby looked at him in disbelief, as Ashley shook her head with a smile on her face.

" Clear! Clear, guys." Connor shouted, Ashley then walked into the room, and chewed on her lip, not commenting on his moves.

" Connor," Abby called and Connor made his way towards Abby. " You're ridiculous." Abby said in a quick whisper.

" What?" Connor asked in a quick whisper.

" You're ridiculous." Ashley repeated in the same whisper as the other two.

" What do you mean I'm ridiculous? I'm just doing my job." Connor argued. They all didn't see the Cleaner open his locker to grab his jacket, keys, and wallet until they heard a screeching sound and screaming. They turned around, their eyes widen, before they looked at each other and approached the dying cleaner. His throat had been slashed by a small raptor.

The three moved forward to search for the raptor after looking at the cleaner. But they didn't see anything. They went near the end of the lockers and they stood there and Abby and Connor were about to speak, but Ashley shushed them quietly. They heard chittering coming from under a bench on the other side. The three shared a look, before they saw a glimpse of scales.

Abby aimed her gun at one end of the bench as Connor did the exact same, just on the other side of it. Abby was moving slightly, trying to get a clear shot at it, but she couldn't get it. She then looked up at Connor.

" Shoot it." Ashley hissed at them, looking at the raptor.

" Alright. Fine. Got it, got it. " he said, as he aimed his gun towards the raptor.

" Come on." Ashley said.

" It's not exactly staying still for us, Ashley." Abby said to her.

" Just shoot it!" Ashley ordered, getting frustrated.

" Got it, I've got it." Connor said, and fired his gun, but he didn't hit the raptor. Instead, he hit Ashley in the leg. She yelled in pain. Her eyes widen in disbelief as she looked at Connor, making a disbelieved sound.

" You idiot." she said to him, and then slowly leaned against the lockers, feeling dizzy, in pain, and tired. She was sliding on the lockers, and Abby quickly got up and held Ashley before she could hit the ground.

Abby looked over at Connor, who looked scared and glared at him. " Shoot it, NOW!" She said. Connor nodded and then hit the little raptor, it shrieked and then it fell to the ground.

Connor looked up at Abby. He was in so much trouble when Cutter and Stephen came. He gulped as Abby looked down at Ashley, wiping some hair out of her face, and looking at her protectively like a best friend.

" Stephen's gonna kill me." Connor said, he knew what Cutter would do, he wouldn't hurt Connor. But Stephen... Connor knew that Stephen was very protective over Ashley.

" You're the one who shot her." Abby responded.

* * *

Stephen and Cutter were walking, to go and find Connor, Abby, and Ashley. They were on the T.V. screens as they walked by them, until Cutter stopped and looked over at Stephen, and Stephen stopped and faced Cutter.

" Wait, hold on. So, you're saying that I would have just stood by and watched you get torn to pieces?" Cutter asked him.

" Well I guess that depends on how much you resent me for what happened with Helen." Stephen said, in an annoyed tone.

Cutter still stared at him. " Yeah, you know what? You're right. I resent you, but if I wanted you dead, I'd show you myself." Cutter said to him with an annoyed tone and threw his gun to him, which Stephen caught.

Cutter then started to walk away, but then he heard the raptor call. He stopped in his tracks, until he then ran over to the sound, Stephen following, his gun ready for shooting the creature.

They quickly went down the Escalator and then went down to the next floor, wondering and looking for the raptor. They saw something move, under what looked like a white umbrella, and Stephen got his gun ready.

" Stephen." Cutter said, as he pointed to the moving umbrella. As Stephen lifted his gun, the raptor was there, jumping on the plates and hissing and snarling and running over to the men.

The raptor then stopped and looked at them, as Stephen was ready to shoot and he did. But nothing came out.

" It's jammed." Stephen said, looking at the gun, as the Raptor was going to lung on him.

" RUN!" Cutter shouted, and started running, Stephen running also. It then jumped down, and landed on some fake models, and then landed on some clothes that were hanging.

" Go." Cutter said, as they went down another Escalator and then turned around to where the Raptor was, only to find it gone. Stephen shook his head, and went to go up the Escalator again, readying his gun.

" Stephen, wait here!" Cutter called, knowing the gun was jammed. But Stephen ignored him, as he was already on the Escalator, staying still, aiming his gun for the raptor, as the escalator moved up.

Once Stephen was at the top, the raptor jumped at him, but Stephen shot the gun and a tranq dart came out, and hit the raptor, but then it fell off its hard scales. The raptor was now in front of Cutter, and his eyes widen. He saw the raptor's eye begin to look dizzy as the raptor walked in front of him, until it fell to the ground, sleeping, thanks to the dart.

He looked up at Stephen, who kissed his gun and looked over at Cutter, a proud smile on his face. " You alright?" he called, the smile still on his face as he looked down at Cutter, who smiled up at him.

Stephen could only imagine what Ashley would think of him know if she wasn't mad at him. She would probably smile, cheer, run up to him, and kiss him on the lips, and he wouldn't mind at all.

* * *

Cutter and Stephen were sitting down, as they covered the sleeping female raptor, Stephen looked down at it as did Cutter, but he was smiling down at it, he wondered if Ashley would come to see it, he knew she loved raptors, even though they were dangerous.

" Look at her." Cutter said, smiling at the raptor. She was so beautiful. " Just the perfect killing machine. You know in a fair fight mammals wouldn't stand a chance."

" Well speaking as a mammal, I'm all in favour of cheating." Stephen said, looking over at Cutter.

Cutter looked away back at the raptor. " You know about the gun, I was wrong." Stephen apologized.

" Ah, never mind." Cutter said. " Listen, you could have gone with Helen. You could have left. You could have left everything, you could have left Ashley. And you didn't. And right now, that's all that really matters. So, so just... forget about the rest. "

" But I hurt Ashley. I didn't mean to- I just.. I hurt you-" Stephen started to say, letting his regret and guilt come out.

Cutter gave him a friendly smile. " Forget about the past. Ashley is having a hard time... but, I know she will forgive you. She loves you too much."

Stephen felt his heart beating like crazy and smiled at Cutter. " Think Helen will be back?" he asked, changing the subject, his heart still beating like crazy.

" I think she's finished messing with us... I seriously doubt it. Helen never handled rejection particularly well." Cutter said, and raised his eye brow at Stephen, motioning to him.

Stephen gave an amused smile at him, and they turned their heads when they heard Abby's voice. " Stephen! Cutter!" she called to them as she and Connor reached them.

Ashley was loaded on a moving trailer, and was still unconscious. Stephen looked over at Ashley, his eyes full of concern as he looked down at Ashley, praying she wasn't dead. He calmed down, as she was only asleep.

_Wait.. asleep? Ashley fell asleep.. wait... a minute.. Connor... _

Cutter knelt down to Ashley, moving some of her brown hair out of her face. " What happened?" he asked, looking up at Connor, who looked nervously at Cutter, and a bit more nervous and scared at Stephen.

" I shot her." he answered simply.

Cutter gave him a disbelieving look, and Stephen loaded his gun, and Connor swallowed as he did so. " You... shot her?" Stephen repeated, looking at Connor who looked really nervous.

" Collateral damage, though. Cause I got the raptor, too." Connor said, looking over at Abby.

" You brought down a full size raptor on your own?" Cutter asked, still looking at Connor, as he rubbed circles on Ashley's knuckles comfortingly.

" Yeah...he's nearly full size. Is she gonna be okay?" he asked, moving the topic over to Ashley.

" She'll have a nasty headache, but she should be fine." Stephen explained, kneeling down to Ashley and quickly kissing her hair. Abby smiled over at him, as she thought it was cute.

" Well, she better come around soon case I'm gonna need all of you to get the raptors back alive." Cutter stated.

" Alive?" Connor and Abby asked at the same time.

" Yup." Cutter said.

" These things are trying to make sushi out of us and we have to play nice, that doesn't seem fair." Connor explained, nervously.

Cutter stood up and walked away from his unconscious daughter, as Stephen looked over at Connor and he gulped. " Watch her." he ordered, pointing down at Ashley, and looking at Connor straight in the eye.

* * *

**Locker Room **

Back down at the Locker room, they went to go and retrieve the small raptor, and Connor and Abby noticed that the cleaner's body was gone.

" The cleaner was attacked... he was badly injured... I don't get it, he was right there. Right Abby?" Connor said, looking at Abby.

" He was in a really bad way." Abby said, looking at Cutter, and putting a hand on her neck.

" Well, he must have recovered and got himself out." Cutter said, and looked down at the small raptor and was going to pick it up, then it moved, but it was still asleep. He looked back at Connor and Abby.

" One raptor is a problem, two means we've got an infestation, and God knows how many others are running around out there... I want you to take this back to the bowling alley and come meet us over at the store." Cutter said to Connor and standing up.

" On my own?" Connor asked.

" Abby will go with you... and don't worry, it's unconscious. You have nothing to worry about." Cutter said to him.

" Yeah, but if its just playing dead?" Connor asked him.

" Playing dead?" Cutter repeated.

" Yeah." Connor said.

" ... Well, as Cretaceous-era Predators go, this creature's pretty smart, so... yeah, he's probably... watch out for that." Cutter said, and then turned away and left, shaking his head.

" Yeah..." Connor trailed off then gave a weak laugh. " Really?" he called, but got no answer.

* * *

Cutter and Stephen were taking the female raptor back to the Bowling Alley, as they did they passed radios. That's when Cutter stopped, the radios sounded like something familiar.

They sounded like an anomaly.

" An interference." Cutter said, as he walked over to more of the radios. He then played with them, and was going to say something, but brushed it off, and then turned back to Stephen.

" Seems odd." he said, as he picked up the sheets and went back taking the female raptor to the Bowling Alley, although Cutter looked over his shoulder at the radios again.

* * *

Back at the bowling alley, Connor stopped the trailer with Ashley still unconscious on it. She looked peaceful though, _She does need rest, she works too hard and has been having a rough time. _Stephen thought looking at Ashley. _  
_

Connor then glanced at Abby and Stephen, how were leaning on a self of bowling balls. " She's gonna kill me when she wakes up." he said, looking down at Ashley.

" Mmm-mmm." Stephen and Abby nodded.

* * *

**Surveillance Room**

Cutter, Stephen, and Abby were sitting in chairs in the Surveillance Room, looking at the screens, trying to see anymore raptors. Connor then entered the room, as Cutter spoke.

" First security guard was attacked here, second one here, both attacks happened within seconds of one another, which means there are at least two of them." Cutter said.

" We've only found one." Abby said, her blue eyes darting over the screens.

" Yeah." Stephen and Cutter nodded, as they looked at the camera.

" And a baby." Connor said from behind them. Stephen, Cutter, and Abby turned around and Abby rolled her eyes at him.

" What are you doing here?" Abby asked him.

" You're suppose to be looking after Ashley." Cutter told him. He then turned back to the screen, shaking his head. There was another raptor out there, and Connor had left his daughter alone. She was unconscious and even when she did wake up, she was not armed with any weapons.

" Thought you were doing that?" Connor asked, turning to Stephen. Stephen shook his head angrily at Connor.

" Look!" Abby said, as she pointed to the screen. A raptor ran across it.

" Oh god, Ashley." Connor said.

Cutter, Stephen, and Abby got up as Cutter still looked at the screen. " Stay here: tell us where it's going." Cutter ordered and then the three left, Cutter grabbing a radio as he did.

" Right, stay here. Tell them where it's going." Connor muttered, and picked up a radio and looked at the screens, searching for the raptor. " Where's it gone?" he asked himself.

As Connor searched frantically, muttering to himself. Cutter, Stephen, and Abby were running towards the bowling alley as fast as they could. " Come on, come on. Where are you?" Connor finally found the raptor on the screen, and then spoke on the radio.

" I can see it, Cutter. It's on the level beneath you. I repeat, on the level below." he said, he searched the screen again. " I can't see it, its disappeared again." Connor said to them. " Where's it gone? Oh for crying out loud how hard can it be to see a raptor in a shopping centre?" he asked himself.

He then found it again and it was headed to the bowling alley, he started to panic.

Connor held the radio up again. " Oh, my god. Guys, it's heading straight towards the bowling alley. It's going towards Ashley, you're gonna have to be quick, it's moving pretty fast." Connor said into the radio.

Cutter, Stephen, and Abby rushed on thing on their mind, just to make sure Ashley is safe and get her in time.

" Come on, come on, come on, guys, you can do this. " Connor muttered to himself, worried for his friend. Stephen, Cutter, and Abby ran into the bowling alley to where Ashley was, she was lying where she had been left. They all sighed in relief, as Abby made sure she was still breathing.

" Connor, she's fine." Abby reassured him, in a comforting voice. Connor sighed in relief, smiled, and then left the room to go to the bowling alley.

* * *

The raptors were still asleep, Stephen looked over at Ashley, she was still out. He then walked over to the raptors and saw the small one starting to come around.

" Oh, she's coming around again... I'll just give it a quick" Stephen said as the raptor was now fully walking up. He knelt down to it, ready to inject it, so it would go back to its slumber.

" No, hang on just a minute... there are three raptors, one of them a baby, so chances are they're a family unit. So, maybe we don't have to go looking for daddy. 'Cause maybe this little fellow will bring him to us." Cutter said to Stephen.

They tied up the small raptor with a rope around its neck, not to hard, just the right amount so it couldn't break away. The small raptor then started to chirp for help.

" That's right you shout for your daddy." Cutter said. Connor then approached him. " Now let's hope their a close family." he added to Connor.

" Where do you want me?" Connor asked, a smile on his face as he held a gun.

" I want you in there with Ashley. Go." Cutter said, pointing towards his daughter. He then took the gun from Connor. He, Abby, and Stephen then got their positions, somewhere they had a clear, easy shot at the raptor.

The baby then started calling. But then after a while nothing came, just sounds of the baby calling, until, a larger raptor came to view, responding to the baby's squawks. But it approached the baby, and tilted its head, before it attacked the baby and killed it, eating it whole. Much to everyone's surprise.

_Mama won't like that. _Cutter thought.

As that happened, Ashley started waking up, her head hurting like hell, and her leg not any better. She slowly opened her eyes and blinked, getting used to the bright light. _What happened? _She was, of course, oblivious to the huge amount of danger as she stood up, and squared her shoulders.

" What's going on?" she asked. Everyone, including the raptor looked at her. The raptor then started hissing, as Ashley's eyes widen, her gaze turning the raptor. Connor then quickly got up, held Ashley's hand and pulled her with him.

" Tell you later." was his reply.

Stephen, Cutter, and Abby quickly got up and aimed for the raptor as it jumped on and off a pool table, as it shook of the tranq darts that Abby and Stephen shot. It then hissed at Ashley and Connor.

" Watch out!" Connor shouted as he threw a pool cue at Ashley, who quickly caught it. They stood back to back, as the raptor approached them. The aimed their pool cues at it, and Ashley felt her eyes widen with terror. _What happened? _

Suddenly an upbeat music started to play from a nearby machine, and it startled the raptor. Ashley and Connor looked at, as the raptor ran to the machine and attacked it, breaking the glass and moving it.

Cutter and Stephen then fired their guns at it as Abby got her gun ready and then it ran off.

" What just happened?" Connor asked, as he and Ashley panted.

" That's two does of tranquilizer darts and it's still on its feet, we're gonna have to up the amount." Cutter stated. Ashley jumped when Stephen forcefully dropped his gun and left the room. Cutter looked over at his daughter, and then went to follow Stephen. Leaving Ashley, Abby, and Connor where they were.

" How are you feeling?" Abby asked her friend, as Ashley tried to move her leg, but she cried in pain. She then looked over at Abby and raised an eye brow.

" Like shit." she answered, and Connor looked at her, she doesn't usually talk like that.

Ashley then looked at Connor. " _You_ shot me." she hissed, and Connor moved away slightly as Ashley gave him a cold glare, and before she could do anything else she bit her lip in pain of her leg and glared at him, and sat on a pool table.

* * *

" They're two dangerous!" Stephen yelled as he walked to were the Pick-Up truck was, raising his voice. He even hated the bloody creatures more as they tried to kill his girlfriend.

He walked over to Cutter's Pick-Up Truck, muttering angrily under his breath. " Gotta keep talking stupid tranq-" Stephen trailed off, muttering. As he angrily moved a box to get out the larger gun.

" Stephen, everything we do has an impact. " Cutter told him, as he was on the other side of the car, looking at Stephen.

" We've killed creature before and nothing's have." Stephen said, not looking at him.

" Yeah, how do you know that for sure?" Cutter asked, raising his voice.

" Look, maybe the strain of going through the anomalies has got to you." Stephen said, looking over at Cutter.

Cutter shook his head. " Maybe you only think these changes took place." Stephen continued, and that's when Cutter had it.

" WHAT? Do you think I _DREAMED _Claudia Brown?!" he yelled at Stephen.

Stephen shook his head. " The whole pattern of evolution changes, but just _one _person disappears." Stephen started to say, as Cutter shook his head frantically.

" One person who happens to be a friend of yours!" Stephen continued, his voice raising.

" No! It's not the simple! The ARC didn't even exist before I left! There's a whole team of people in there I've never even met, there might be countless other things big and small, I DON'T KNOW YET!" Cutter yelled, letting all of it out.

Cutter stared at him with wide-eyes, Stephen shook his head, a look on his face and then pulled out the gun. " I'll only use it if I have to."

* * *

An alarm was going off as Stephen and Cutter ran down a hall, looking for the large male raptor. They looked at each other and then ran again down the way they came from the first time, they headed towards the parking lot.

They saw two teens riding some Motorcycles as two of them, stood watching them.

" HEY! Hey!" Cutter yelled, getting the two teens that were standing, attention. They turned him, as he and Stephen approached. " Have you seen an animal pass this way?" Cutter asked them.

" Dog? Polar Bear? A-" the first teenager asked, but Cutter interrupted him.

" No, trust me you've known if you'd seen it." Cutter said to them.

They turned away from him, chuckling as if he was ridiculous. The two men then heard a shrieking sound, and Cutter turned to Stephen. " We've got to get it back to the mall."

Cutter looked at the boys riding the Motorcycles and he turned around, only to see two bright red Motorcycles behind them. Stephen and Cutter shared a look, before they ran towards the bikes.

Stephen smiled as he started the bike, because well, he carried again, was riding a Motorcycle, and was good looking. Which meant he looked totally badass. He then started the bike, and rode quickly to follow the sound of the raptor.

There was a glimpse of it, and the boys ran up to Cutter. " What the hell was that?" the first boy asked him.

" Ah, radio controlled Cretaceous-Era Raptor, probably be in the shops by Christmas." Cutter lied to them. Looking over at Stephen who was still looking for the raptor.

Cutter then rode off, looking for the raptor like Stephen was.

Stephen then rode over to the cars, and then the raptor was suddenly there. It hoped on the glass of the car, shattering the glass and leap on Stephen, but Stephen quickly ducked, looking over at the raptor.

He looked over his shoulder, as the Raptor started chasing him. Cutter saw the raptor as it stopped, to look where Stephen was going. It then hissed at Cuter, as it spotted him.

Cutter bravely rode quickly to the raptor and lifted the Motorcycle, which he did a wheelie and then kicked the raptor right in the face, as it lunged at him. He then rode over to the end of the parking lot, and looked over at the raptor as it shook its head.

" Chase me." Cutter said, as the raptor stared at him, and then hissed, before running over to him. Cutter then quickly started the bike and rode off, the raptor following him, and Stephen quickly following the raptor.

As Stephen rode past the two teens, the first teen looked at the second one. " You have to admit, that's pretty awesome." he said to his friend who just shrugged.

" Pretty cool, but you could tell it was a model."

" Yeah, of course."

The teen then turned and then yelled, " Oi! What about my bike?" but he didn't get an answer.

* * *

Stephen was now following Cutter, as the raptor was now behind them, it shook its head again and then hissed, before following them some more around the mall.

The raptor stopped, as Cutter and Stephen were at the other end. They looked over their shoulders at the raptor, as it shook its head again, before running over to them. They then started their bikes again.

Well, Stephen did.

Cutter's bike wouldn't start like Stephen's and he looked over his shoulder at the raptor, as he tried to start the bike a few more times. When the raptor spotted and then finally Cutter's bike started, and he rode off.

After some more riding, Stephen and Cutter got off their bikes and ran towards the elevator, and looked at the raptor, the doors didn't close yet, as the raptor ran over to them, and lunged.

As the doors were closing, Cutter then punched the Raptor as it shook its head, the elevator moving up. The raptor starting attacking the elevator as it moved up, and Cutter got out his radio.

" Connor where the hell are you? We're on our way to the second floor." he said into the radio.

The men didn't see the raptor come on the elevator though, it was just clinging on the bottom of it with its sharp claws.

* * *

Once they were out of the elevator, the two men looked around at the bottom floor and around them for the raptor. They stopped and spun around when they heard the familiar hissing sound.

The raptor was right in front of them. Their eyes widen, as Cutter held up a fist ready to punch the raptor again, Stephen had apparently dropped his gun. the raptor came over to them when they heard a familiar voice.

" Cutter! Out of the way!" came Connor's voice. Cutter looked over his shoulder and then moved out of the way, as Connor fired his gun at the male raptor, hitting it this time, but the tranq dart was still on it.

It was still walking two, it walked over slowly to them, and hissed as their eyes widen. It roared at them and got closer, and Cutter held his fists higher and then suddenly the raptor collapsed on the ground, asleep.

Stephen slid down on the railing, as Cutter slid on his knees, panting, surprised that they were still alive.

" Bet you boys are glad you gave me a gun now, huh? Yeah." Connor said, smiling as Cutter and Stephen looked at each other with relieved smiles on their faces, as Cutter got up, walked to Connor, placed a hand on his shoulder, and rested his head on his shoulder.

* * *

" Ow." Ashley groaned as she slowly descended down the steps, clinging onto the railing, as her leg ached badly.

" How you feeling?" Connor asked her, hoping she wasn't mad at him.

" Terrible." she simply answered.

Connor looked at her nervously. " Do you want me to get you something? I could run and get you a glass of water-" Connor started to say, but Ashley cut him off.

" Stop fussing Connor, I'm fine." she said quickly.

" Okay."

Silence fell on them, as they descended down the stairs, but Connor broke it. " You know, Ashley. I want you to know something, if I was going to shoot anyone, you'd so be like the last person I'd shoot. Apart from me mother, obviously, but you'd be way down the bottom of the list with her. And I wouldn't shoot Abby... " he trailed off.

Ashley glanced slightly at Connor and raised an amused eye brow at him, and his face flushed red.

" In fact, I don't think I'd shoot either one of you." Connor continued, and cocked the gun.

Ashley bit her lip, her head aching badly. " Can we drop this?" she asked, she just wanted silence to clear her head.

" Yeah." Connor said looking up at her, his face still flushed red.

" Can you move the gun out of the Ashley area?" she asked, pushing the gun away from her.

" Sure." he said.

" Thanks." Ashley said and continued walking down the steps, lightly gasping in pain every time it came. She then finished as she stepped off the last step and Connor looked at her.

" Go, I've got your back." Connor gestured and she turned to look at him, before sighing and walking away.

* * *

Once Ashley and Connor finally entered the room where the anomaly was, they saw Abby kneeling near the raptors, moving its bones.

" What can you feel?" Cutter asked Abby as she felt the raptor's bones.

" It feels strange. His bone structure feels more like a bird's wing than anything reptilian." Abby explained, looking up at Cutter as smiled down at her, Ashley then slowly knelt down beside Abby and smiled.

" Well, dinosaurs have more in common with modern day birds than reptiles." Ashley explained, and Abby looked over at her and nodded as Cutter smiled at his daughter, kissed her forehead, and then walked towards the anomaly.

Stephen looked down at the two women, and smiled slightly, seeing Ashley okay. Even though her leg hurt, and she had a bad head ache she was still perfectly fine.

" So guys, let me get this straight. All we have to do is drag two of the angriest creatures in the known universe, through a hole in time back into a world where we don't know what's on the other side for us?" Connor asked, looking down at the raptors.

" When you put it like that, it sounds so easy." Stephen said as small grin forming on his lips, as he looked over at Ashley, who grinned softly back at him, even though her head was still spinning.

" I'm going to do this on my own." Cutter said, facing the team.

" We'll help." Ashley said, looking over at her dad.

" Who's 'we'?" Connor asked looking down at Ashley. Abby and Ashley then threw glares at him.

" I didn't say I wouldn't. I just prefer if I could do my own volunteering. Thank you." Connor defended himself.

" Look, I'm gonna do this on my own. I don't want any arguments. Connor." Cutter interjected, and then looked at Connor who was then right next to him. Ashley sighed, knowing that she wasn't going with him this time thanks to her leg.

" How long have I got?" Cutter asked Connor.

" Uh... I don't know. You know, it's hard to say. Ninety percent of the anomalies are gone within hours. This ones been here most of the night already." Connor explained.

" Come with me." Cutter said, as Connor followed him to where they were going.

Ashley looked over at Abby and Stephen, who shared looks. She sighed and rubbed her forehead again. Stephen then looked over at Ashley, and bit the inside of his cheek.

" Hey, how are you feeling now?" he asked her. Ashley blinked and stared at Stephen. " Ah, I'm fine. Don't... don't worry." she told him, with a small smile that told him not to worry.

He nodded, and they both didn't tell each other how amazing it felt to talk to each other again. Abby stared at the two with a soft smile and patted Ashley lifted on the back.

* * *

Cutter walked over to the radios he and Stephen walked past earlier that day and looked at them, as Connor raised an eye brow at him, wondering what the Professor was doing.

" Okay, what I want you to do is change everyone of these radios to... 87. 6 on F.N. " Cutter explained, Connor did as he was told to and then changed the radios to the channel.

" Now doesn't that sound strange to you?" Cutter asked, as the radios sounded like an anomaly.

" Interference." Connor said, looking up at Cutter. " Why?"

Cutter smiled at him. " Come on." he said, knowing that Connor knew what he was talking about.

" You thinks its got something to do with the anomaly? It could just be a technical problem at the radio station." Connor said to him.

" Well then I want you to get onto that, and find out."

" Sure.. but if it is the anomaly that's causing this, that means there could be radio interference on this wave land at anytime on opens. "

" Which would explain why Helen was always one step ahead of us. She must have some kind of era to spot them." Cutter explained.

" We could build our own detector. Something that traces the anomalies within seconds of it appearing." Conno said.

" If the interference stops when the anomaly disappears then maybe we're on to something."

Connor smiled over at Cutter. " Now if I don't make it back this time, Connor. It's down to you and Ashley. You two can do this." Cutter told him.

Connor nodded seriously, he and Ashley weren't going to let the Professor down.

* * *

As Cutter's dad was getting something ready, Ashley then got up, her leg still hurting and then stopped next to her dad before he was going to go through, she really wanted to get this off her mind.

Ashley looked over at him, and then nervously twiddled her fingers. " Dad?" Cutter then looked up and turned to his head daughter, who raised a eye brow at him.

" I've been meaning to asked you, This Claudia Brown... What was she like?" she asked Cutter. She watched as a small, happy smile played on his face when she asked that, but then it slowly disappeared.

" What does it matter? I mean to you she never even existed." he said, and Ashley looked at him, her smile not dying.

" Tell me anyway."

And then, the smile was back. " Well, um.. she was okay." he answered, getting lost in the memories.

" She was good at her job, loyal... she probably gave me more chances than I deserved, easy to talk to.. she was, beautiful... t-team player. Maybe not as tough as she pretended to be, but she was strong when it mattered." he explained to her.

And then on the look on his face, she wanted to remember. " She meant a lot to you." and he gave her a crooked smile.

" Yeah."

Ashley then sucked in a breath. " Sorry." she said, and looked down trying hard to remember Claudia Brown, who she was, and what she looked like. Cutter then looked at her curiously.

" For what?" he asked her, his Scottish accent soft.

" That I didn't know her.. and.. cause you lost her. I want to believe you, Dad. I really do, but it's hard." Ashley told him truthfully.

He then gave her a small, sad smile. " I know."

Ashley walked over with Stephen, Connor, and Abby. Connor had just told her what he and Cutter were doing, and if he didn't make it back, it was up to Ashley and Connor. She didn't like it, she needed her father. She couldn't do it without him.

As her father walked towards the anomaly, he took off his jacket Ashley stood against Stephen, he helped her getting onto her feet.

Cutter then turned to them. " These two won't be asleep for much longer." He then looked over at the three.

" Okay. This is as far as you go." he told them and they nodded, looking directly at Ashley as he did.

Then, Cutter disappeared through the anomaly and Ashley looked over at Stephen.

* * *

**Cretaceous Era **

Cutter breathed heavily as he entered the Era. There was hills make of dust and rocks, no water to be seen and it was burning outside. He then looked down at the raptors and then went down on of the hills he was on and rolled them down.

He then walked over to the sleeping raptors, and got out his knife and then cut the ropes that were around them. He patted one on the side and then walked away, putting his knife away and grabbing his jacket.

Cutter heard the sounds of creatures above him as he grabbed his jacket, dusting the dirt off of it.

The Professor then looked over at the anomaly for a moment, his mind running as he was thinking and then made a choose. He looked at the anomaly one last time, before turning and walking away. He had to find away to fix things. He knew he should have brought Ashley with him, but he couldn't live with himself if he put her in anymore danger.

" Yeah, thought you might try something like this. " came a familiar voice, Cutter turned around only to see Stephen. " So, I followed you through, just in case you had some crazy idea about not coming back." he continued.

" I have no idea what you're talking about." Cutter said.

Stephen gave him a look.

" Alright, I know exactly what you're talking about. But, so what? Maybe it's for the best." he added.

" What? Leaving Ashley and everything you have, so you can die out here in this godforsaken place?" Stephen asked him.

" Look, if I travel through enough anomalies, then maybe I can fix it, maybe I can change things back to the way they were. And... I know that Ashley should be here, but I couldn't bring myself to put her in any danger."

" She was in the past as well you know. And she was fine." Stephen defended Ashley, the way Cutter said it made it sound like she was useless and couldn't take care of herself.

" Yeah, barely." Cutter argued.

" But what if there is no way back? What if this world is the only one there is? I mean, look, its suicide. " Stephen said, changing the subject back to Cutter wanting to leave.

" Now, look, I don't want to die, Stephen. I just wanna try and make things right." Cutter said.

" Okay. Okay, well... let's suppose you do change things. How do you know that this time around we're not all gonna get wiped out?" Stephen said to him and then silence broke between them.

" I don't." Cutter finally said.

" You could change a million things and still not get 'Claudia' back. Is losing Ashley and everything you have, worth this one person? All you know is what's happening right here, right now. "

Cutter didn't say anything.

" Now, for once in your life, forget about the past, cause you've got a job to do." Stephen added wisely.

" Your right, just don't over do it, you know? You haven't been right for a while."

Stephen put his hands up and then the two looked back over at the anomaly, it was starting to fade.

" Is it me, or is that anomaly closing?" Cutter asked looking at Stephen.

The two then started to run towards the anomaly and Cutter threw his jacket on the ground, leaving it. They heard a certain roar and they turned around, to see the raptor's waking up. Their eyes widen and they continued to run back to the anomaly.

Cutter was already running and Stephen turned around, and saw the sheets flying. The raptors were gone. His eyes widen as he turned back to follow Cutter, almost falling on some damn rocks.

The male raptor then started to chase Stephen.

* * *

**Castle Cross Shopping Mall **

After minutes of waiting for Stephen and her father to return, Ashley began to worry as she saw the anomaly starting to close. Then suddenly, there was her father he emerged from the closing anomaly. Ashley then rushed forward and helped him up. " Are you alright?" Connor and Abby asked him.

Ashley's eyes widen as she looked back at her father. " Where's Stephen?" she asked, worried. They all spun around when they heard screams of pain and a hand coming to them for help.

Cutter and Ashley then rushed to Stephen's hand, pulling him through as fast as they could, as the raptor was sinking its sharp teeth in Stephen's skin making him scream louder in pain.

" Pull! Pull!" Stephen shouted. Connor then joined them, as the three pulled Stephen through, Abby also helping as well. They then got Stephen out, as Ashley wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she shut her eyes, as the raptor's head was separated from its body as the anomaly closed.

Stephen groaned in pain as he then leaned against the wall in pain, as Ashley gave him a concerned look.

* * *

Cutter and Connor sat down on some small stools, the radios were back to normal, there was no more interference. Connor looked over at the Professor and smiled.

" Well you were right. It was the anomaly causing the interference." Connor said, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

" Yeah. We don't have to sit around waiting for the creatures anymore. We know that the anomalies open before they do." Cutter said softly.

Connor then looked over at Cutter, smiling. " Now all we have to do is find out what's causing the anomalies in the first place." Connor told him.

" That might take a wee bit longer." Cutter smiled.

" Yeah." Connor agreed. He then gave a laugh and patted Cutter on the back, and then got up and left to go home.

Cutter sat a smile still on his face as he heard footsteps behind him. He didn't turn around as someone sat down next to him.

" Hi." Ashley said softly, brushing some of her hair out of her face.

He looked and smiled at his daughter. " Hey." he said to her. Ashley then looked over at her father.

" You really scared me.. well.. everyone, you know." she told him.

He just sat in silence, and Ashley chewed on her lip. " Were you.. I mean- ... were you really just going to leave me like that?" she asked him softly, she felt stupid, and sad that her father would leave her that quick.

That's when he turned to face her. " Ashley, no. I just wanted to fix things.. make things right." he told her truthfully.

" To get... Claudia back, right?" she asked him, a soft frown still on her face.

" And make things the way they were before I went through the anomaly in the Forest of Dean." Cutter added.

Ashley took another breath and looked down. " I would have liked to bring you with me.. but.. you know. I couldn't risk putting you in danger, and I knew you wouldn't come with me if I pleaded." he told her.

She looked up at him and gave a small smile. " I can take care of myself, dad. You know that."

He nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. " I won't leave you. " he told her and kissed her hair.

" You promise?" she mumbled sleepily, like a 5 year old.

Cutter looked down at her and kissed her hair. " I promise." he mumbled in her hair.

* * *

**The ARC**

_" The place is clean and the anomalies gone, you can give the all clear." _came Cutter's voice from the phone.

" Excellent, we'll handle it from here, oh and good work, by the way. It could have been very nasty." Lester said.

_" Indeed." _Cutter said and chuckled softly.

_" Yeah, you deserve a rest and a chance to recover. All of you. Take an hour. No, lets not be mean. Take two. I'll see you back here at 9:00" _Lester replied to Cutter, looking down at the phone.

_" No, forget. I'm going home to bed. " _Cutter replied.

" Well there's someone I'd like you to meet. A new member of the team."

_" Who?" _Cutter asked, he knew Ashley would not like this very well.

" Some sort of PR wizard. Basically, he'll be our cover-up specialist. Protecting the public from what they don't need to know, that sort of thing. An unpleasent job, but it has to be done." Lester explained.

Cutter sighed. _" Fine, whatever." _He then hung up and Lester rolled his eyes.

Lester then saw Leek over by his office with a paper in his hand. " What's this?" he asked Leek, as he took the paper from his hand.

" Um, revised details about the new recruit, sir. It seems that the new man is not... actually a man."

" Hmm, well her qualifications seem impressive enough anyway." Lester commented.

* * *

**The ARC **

**The Next Day **

" Morning." Cutter said as he opened the double doors and looked ahead of him, to see Ashley looking angry and tired for some odd reason, and Connor and Abby talking to her about something.

" You're late." Lester said.

" So fire me." Cutter responded, walking up to them.

Lester sighed. " We can all dream." Lester muttered. " Well, now you're finally here, perhaps we can get going." he added.

The double doors then opened as two SAS soldiers were following the person that just entered.

" I'd like you all to meet the new member of your team, Jennifer Lewis." Lester explained.

Ashley and the rest of them turned around, and Cutter felt his eyes widen. _No... it can't be... _

" Claudia Brown." Cutter said the two simple words that made his heart jump and then his heart drop.

_Why is she Jenny? Why does she look so... _

" Jenny. Nice to meet you." she told them with a friendly smile.

* * *

**Ok! That was the first episode, and MAN DID IT TAKE LONG! Stay tuned for more! It's 11:00 P.M. right now so... I'M TIRED! Bye! See you guys soon and please review! **

**- Love and HeartBreak21**


	3. Episode 2: The Fog Worms

**Primeval Season 2 **

**Episode 2 **

* * *

The scorching sun was out, a large volcano was in the distance of the kind of Prehistoric Era, there were hills large and small ones made up of rocks and dirt, large rocks were everywhere, as screeching of aerial predators flew across the land as a figure walked along some of the hills of rock and dirt.

Helen Cutter.

She was walking along the hills, her appearance different. She looked around everywhere, and then she stopped at a certain point and looked over at her small backpack and then took out something that had water in it, and drank it, before placing it back in backpack.

Helen looked over her shoulder as her eyes caught something, she looked around her and then ran over to the certain something that had caught her eyes. She then found herself on a rocky area and in front of her was a nest. Two large eggs were in it.

She then looked around again and then quickly and quietly grabbed one of the eggs and looked down at it. She gasped when she heard the screeching of one of the Pterosaur had spotted her taking its egg.

Helen then quickly put the egg in her backpack and started to run away, but the aerial creature followed her, screeching madly. Once Helen turned around, the creature slammed into her, making her hit a rock, and getting a scratch on her chin.

The creature then came back the other way, and Helen stood up confidently and pulled out her knife as the creature came, and she lifted up her knife as the creature flew above her, and she stabbed it, wounding it. It screeched once again, and knocked her down, making Helen stab herself in the leg, making her cry in pain as the creature flew away.

She fell to the ground, and then looked at the small wound and then something came up in her head. She looked at her shirt and pulled some of the cloth of her shirt and put it in her mouth, her teeth gripping it tightly as she grabbed her knife and then suddenly stabbed herself where her wound was, the cloth in her mouth was suppose to muffle her screams.

It didn't work.

* * *

**The ARC **

Professor Nick Cutter sat at his desk fiddling with his pen, as he looked at the new team member, Jennifer 'Jenny' Lewis talking to James Lester and Oliver Leek. He kept staring at her, his mind racing. She was an exact duplicate of Claudia Brown, but with the memory of a different person.

But in this screwed up world... Claudia brown never existed, Jenny Lewis did instead.

His mind flashed to sudden flashbacks, and Lester's voice came. _" I'd like you all to meet your new colleague, this is Jennifer Lewis... Jennifer Lewis." _Lester's voice played in his mind as he introduced the team to their new team member, he remembered the look of concern on his daughter's face.

_" Jenny Lewis, nice to meet you." _Claudia- Jenny's voice said as she introduced herself to the team, a small smile on her face.

The Professor's mind then flashed back to the events just earlier.

_" Ms. Lewis has been appointed to Senior Position on the team. That means she answers to me and you answer to her." Lester said to them, and then Stephen looked up at Lester. _

_" I didn't think we answered to anybody." he said to them, and in the corner of Cutter's eye he saw Ashley trying not to smile at Stephen's comment. _

_Lester then rolled his eyes, and turned to Jenny. " Scientists. " he said to her. She gave a small laugh, and Cutter remembered, like a stab in the heart that the laugh was Claudia Brown's small laugh. _

_" It's quite alright, James." she told him, and then looked over at Cutter and smiled. " I'm used to working with creative people. Please do all call me Jenny." she told them, a smile on her face. Claudia's smile. _

_" Claudia." Cutter said simply. Ashley then shifted and looked at Jenny, who shook her head politely, a smile still on her beautiful face. " My names not Claudia." she told him. _

_" Claudia Brown." Cutter repeated, and Ashley cringed when her father said that. Stephen and Abby gave each other confused looks, as Connor and Ashley gave each other concerned looks. _

_" I think you're confusing me with someone else." Jenny said, still being polite, but Ashley could see that Jenny Lewis did not like the fact that her father was calling her some other woman. _

_" No. I-I know, that you think your names Jenny Lewis, but your actually a woman called Claudia Brown." Cutter explained, trying to convince her that she was Claudia Brown. He watched as she raised an eye brow. _

_" There's a good reason for this. I-I can explain it." Cutter continued, as Ashley chewed on her bottom lip. He saw the looks on everyone's faces, but the one that hurt him most was the look on Jenny's face. _

_" Ah, yes. Meet Professor Nick Cutter. A fascinating study of the tipping point between inspiration and lunacy." Lester explained to Jenny. Ashley then balled her hands into fists, and looked up and glared daggers at Lester. He noticed this and raised an eye brow. _

_" And meet his daughter, Professor Ashley Cutter-Handson. Not wanting to be left out, dearie?" Lester told her, a small smirk on his face. Ashley then glared harder, and Cutter could see she was trying not to snap at him, but failed. _

_" Yeah, I'm about two seconds away from-" she started to say, and then for once, Leek had something good to say, interrupting Ashley as she was about to snap at James Lester._

_" Is everything alright, Professor?" Leek asked Cutter. _

_Cutter then turned back to Jenny. " I know this sounds insane, but you're a woman called Claudia Brown. Just listen." Cutter tried explaining to her again, as Jenny raised her dark eye brows. _

_Ashley and Connor knew they had to do something before this got out of hand, and they needed to talk to him. " Dad!" Ashley called, and everyone turned to the young woman and Connor and her stepped up, looking at the professor. _

_" Uh, the anomaly detector, Professor. You, uh, you remember? You said that we should talk about it. Could we do that now?" Connor asked him, and Cutter nodded before walking away, Ashley and Connor following. _

_Connor had told Ashley about the anomaly detector and Cutter couldn't get rid of the smile that appeared on her face, saying that it was a great idea to go ahead and start doing it quickly. _

_The three were now on the walkway, Cutter leaned against the railing, his hands gripping it as Connor and Ashley stood in front of him, giving him curious looks as he stared back at them. _

_" That's Claudia Brown." Cutter said to them. Ashley shifted and nodded. _

_" We know." she answered him. _

_Cutter then raised an eye brow at them. " Why didn't you say anything?" he asked them. _

_" We know that's what you believe, dad. Us, we've never seen that woman in our lives." Ashley continued, looking at her father in concern. _

_" What's going on?" Cutter asked, more to himself as he gripped the railing tighter, feeling a bit dizzy all of the sudden. _

_" Come on, Professor. You can't go flaky on us now." Connor said, and then looked down at his watch and then back at the Professor. " I mean it's nearly twelve o'clock and we're probably gonna have to save the world again before bedtime." he added. _

_Cutter then nodded at them. " Sorry, I'm okay." he told them, and they nodded. _

_" So no more of this... Claudia Brown Stuff.." Connor trailed off. _

_" At least until you can figure out what's gonning on." Ashley finished and then her and Connor walked away. Cutter stayed on the railing for a second, feeling dizzy before following them. _

_Cutter and Ashley were now in front of Jenny and Lester, but Cutter looked over at Jenny. " Ms. Lewis, please except my apologizes. It wasn't my intention to frighten you." Cutter apologized. _

_Jenny nodded, looking a bit hesitant. " No problem." she said. And then turned around, to face Lester. " No perhaps one of you could tell me what I'm doing here." she said. _

_Cutter, Ashley, Jenny, Lester, and Leek were now somewhere on the walkaway. " Your job is to come up with cover stories. That means convincing people that they didn't see... what they actually did." Lester explained to her. _

_" Keeping the public current is the government's top priority." Leek said. _

_Lester then looked over at Leek. " Nicely put, Leek." _

_Jenny then gave Cutter a disbelieving smile and then turned to face Lester and Leek. " Dinosaurs?" she asked in disbelief. She then looked down and laughed and then back up at them, a smile still on her face. " Oh, come on. What's this about really?" she asked. _

_Ashley then spoke up. " One thing I can promise you, Jenny is this job is quite unlike anything you've done before." Jenny then turned to the younger woman and raised an eye brow as Lester and Leek nodded in agreement. _

_" Oh I doubt it. When you've been in PR as long as I have, nothing much can surprise you anymore." she told them, giving Cutter a smile as see said creative people and he could see Ashley try not to roll her eyes. _

_Lester then said something to Leek, and then Jenny and Leek went off somewhere and then faced Ashley and Cutter. _

_" Classy. Very classy." Lester commented. _

Cutter then blinked rapidly, snapping out of his trance when he heard a familiar voice. " Dad?" Ashley asked. Cuter then shook his head and looked over at Ashley. Her hair was down as usually, she wore light brown flat ankle boots, light blue jeans, and a grey short sleeved one-off-the-shoulder top.

" Are you alright?"

* * *

**The Office Building **

Terry Thorpe entered the office building; as he walked her was greeted and waved at and he didn't greet anyone back. When he was walking there was a woman in a black off the shoulder dress and she waved to him, a smile on her face as she walked away. Terry turned around, a smile on his face as he watched her walk away.

He then walked towards an elevator and pushed some buttons to go down to his floor. When he reached the 14th floor, he left the elevator and walked down the hallway until he reached his office.

A woman was in front of a laptop, and she had ginger hair. " All set, Shelly? Feeling good?" he asked the ginger haired woman, who was Shelly. She was his security and partner.

Shelly looked up at him and smiled. " Fine, thanks, Terry." she said to him.

" Well, I hope so, its only five million quid and all our jobs on the line." he told her. Shelly looked down at her desk. " Actually, let me rephrase that. The five million quid and _your _job." he repeated.

" No pressure, then." Shelly said as Terry walked away.

Terry stopped and turned around. " Nothing goes wrong today, and I mean nothing." he said.

Meanwhile, in the server room, a ladder was shaking madly and then suddenly an Anomaly opened, and it unleashed a strange smoke that leaked out through a crack under the door and into the hallway of the 14th floor and everywhere around the building.

* * *

Shelly was talking to two people on screen about some kind of new Japanese beer, as Terry sat at the table next to her. Suddenly, as Shelly was speaking a alarm went off, but the two ignored it as they kept speaking to the two Japanese people on the screen, the fog that was coming through the anomaly was outside of the room they were in.

Outside, people were already running out of the building as firemen or fire-women started to go into the building.

Two of them were outside of the Server room, as the woman asked, " What's that smell?"

" Smells like Sulpher." the man responded as they cringed their noses at the smell.

The woman carried an axe as they walked into the Server room, and they both coughed. " There's no fire in here." the man said. His eyes widen at the sight of the anomaly, the woman followed his gaze and her eyes widen as well.

" What's that?" she asked.

" I have no idea." was his reply.

The woman then walked forward and stared at it for a bit, as the man stayed behind. " Chief..." she trialed off. When she got no answer see turned around and then looked around the room.

" Chief?" she asked again.

She jumped when the chief jumped out of the fog, looking terrified as he gripped her shoulders, as if something was pulling him into the fog. " Get out of here... the fog... GET OUT OF HERE!" he yelled and then fell in the fog again.

" CHIEF!" The woman, Rachel, screamed.

* * *

**The ARC **

Back at the ARC, Ashley stood in Lester's Office with her father. He then starting explaining about the anomalies and being able to track them down quickly. Lester sat in his chair, as Leek stood beside him. Ashley looked over at her father as he explained.

" Every time the anomalies open, it gives off a burst of radio interference. " Cutter explained, her turned around and looked out to see Jenny smiling with some new members. He then turned his attention back to the Lester and Leek. " Now, we didn't spot it before because we weren't looking for it." he continued.

" And you can build a machine that detects this interference?" Lester questioned.

" Yes. It's the same as trying to track down a pirate radio station." Cutter stated.

" And then we can also develop a hand-held detector to work within short distances." Ashley explained, a smile on her face. She didn't know why, but she loved the idea of tracking down anomalies so they could save people.

" And we'll be able to stop the anomalies as soon as they open?" Leek asked Ashley. The young woman tried not to giggle as she saw Leek remove his hand from the back of Lester's chair.

" Well, yes, that's the idea." she told him.

" Will it be expensive?" Lester asked.

" Only if we do it properly." Cutter answered him.

Leek then leaned down closer to Lester. " I think this is something we should consider, sir. Seems to be our most sufficient break through to date." Leek said to Lester.

Cutter and Ashley exchanged glances as they waited for an answer.

" Yes, I know the implications, Leek." Lester said as Leek backed away from him. Lester then turned to Ashley and her father. " Fine. Tell Leek, what you'll need and he'll see to it." Lester said to them.

" Well, we want Connor to supervise the work, though." Cutter told them. Ashley nodded her had in agreement. She trusted Connor with this kind of stuff, he was great at it.

" All right, but he reports to Leek." Lester said as the final to the whole conversation. Cutter then turned back to the window and looked down at Jenny who was still talking to three people.

Cutter was wrapped in all his thoughts of Claudia Brown and Jenny Lewis. Ashley sighed, as she and Cutter walked out of Lester's Office and Ashley raised an eye brow at him.

" Dad?" she asked him, as they walked to their lockers.

" Yeah?" he asked.

" Don't be too rough on Jenny today, if there is a creature sighting, OK? I know she might not be Claudia Brown, but give her a chance, yeah?" Ashley told him in a soft voice.

He shook his head, a smile on his face, and walked away.

Ashley then bit her lip, amused, before walking over to Jenny and introducing herself.

" Hello, Jenny. You've already heard of me. I'm Cutter's daughter. Ashley. I'll.. so you around the ARC. And don't worry, my dad.. is not usually that crazy. He's... just been having a hard time." Ashley told her.

Jenny nodded and followed Ashley.

* * *

**The Office Building **

Shelly was still talking about the new beer product, as Terry made a disgusted, something smelled really bad. He then looked up at Shelly and saw she tried not to make a disgusted face as well as she spoke to the people on the computer screen.

Another man was also in the room, too he was sitting at the table with a laptop.

The strange fog was surrounding the office that the three people were in, as they made some more disgusted faces at the smell of it. Shelly then leaned down to Terry, the smell getting on her nerves.

" Can you smell something?" Shelly whispered to him.

The man on the screen raised his eye brow. " Smell?" he repeated.

Terry looked up at the screen, looking as if he was going to be sick. " One moment, please." he told the man and then Shelly looked back up at the screen, and smiled at them.

" Perhaps you'd like to look at some more cups Mr. Magutter." she told him and gestured for the other man on a laptop to get the pictures up. He sighed at the smell and pressed some keys on the keyboard.

The new Japanese beer than came on the screen as Shelly turned to look over at Terry. " Well do something!" she told him in annoyance.

He nodded his head. " Alright, I'll go see what's going on." Terry said as he got up from his desk and opened the door and they all started coughing at the fog as they thought it was a fire Terry then turned to them.

" I'll go get help, just stall him!" Terry said as he closed the door to the office and went outside, going to get help. He looked back at them and nodded and walked down the hallway and started coughing badly.

Shelly and the other man then looked out the window of the office frantically and saw nothing. They suddenly jumped when Terry was on the window, and covered in something as he yelled in pain. Shelly screamed as he did.

Terry was then pulled into the fog.

* * *

**Video Store **

Connor Temple and Abby Maitland were at a DVD store, looking for a movie that they were going to watch that night. Abby was looking at some and so was Connor.

" No. No. No. No. No. No." Connor said to himself as he flipped the DVDs, wanting to find a good one to watch. Abby then looked up at her friend, amused by what he was doing.

" I think it follows by my choice tonight, Connor." Abby said to him. Connor then raised an eye brow.

" What are you talking about? You chose last week." he stated. Abby then shook her head, a playful smile on her face.

" Mm. You'd really think I'd chosen the Texas Chainsaw Massacre?" Abby asked him.

Connor then shrugged his shoulders. Abby then gave another amused look. " How 'bout something _romantic _for a change?" Abby asked him.

" Romantic?" Connor repeating, not liking the idea of a romantic movie.

" Yeah!" Abby argued softly, not looking at him as she looked through some romantic DVDs.

Connor then walked up to her, placing his hands in his pockets as he watched her searching for a movie. " How about... 'A Holiday?" she suggested, and pretended not to see Connor roll his eyes.

" Looks nice?" she asked him.

" Really? That's, like, my worst nightmare." Connor said.

Abby sighed and then looked for some more DVDs, her lips pressed together and her eye brows scrunched her eye brows down, her blue eyes focused on the DVDs, always focused. She did that when she was thinking, well... Connor knew that.

He snapped out of his Abby thoughts when her soft voice came. " I don't know. You know what? I'm gonna go home, you choose." she told him.

" Yeah?" Connor asked, a smile on his face.

" Yeah." Abby agreed, and sighed before walking away.

She then turned over to look at him. " But no horror, no action, and defiantly no Sci-Fi. Bye." she told him, her 'bye' in a funny, playful way. Connor smiled as she walked away and then looked back at the DVDs.

" Hostel. Classic, good choose." A woman suddenly said to Connor and smiled up at him. Conor then looked over at her, and his eyes slightly widen and his breath got caught in his throat. She was beautiful. She had dark, short curly hair, tan skin, beautiful brown eyes, and a pretty smile.

She then walked on the other side of Connor and smiled again, and he felt his knees weaken. " But this," she told him, holding up a DVD and handed it to him. " This is really good." she added.

Connor just stayed silent and stared at her with wide eyes, she then started to laugh softly as he joined in, feeling a bit awkward. Connor held the DVD in his hand and as he laughed, he dropped the DVD, and cursed under his breath before quickly picking it up and looking back at her.

" Sorry. I just..." he mumbled for no reason and then started to trail off, putting the DVD back. He then wanted to bring up a conversation and then pulled out a random DVD and then looked over at her.

" Have you seen this one?" he asked, holding the DVD.

She shrugged. " It's not bad. I prefer the original. " she told him.

Connor was stunned. He then stared at her, not saying a word and she then laughed, and he snapped out of his stare and laughed as well and nodded his head, a smile on his face. " Me too." he told her, a bit of hesitation in his voice.

The woman then looked around the DVDs in front of them. It seemed as though she minded Connor's company. " I don't really feel like horror tonight I feel like something a bit more... " The woman trailed off.

" Erotic- romantic?" he asked, a small hiccup in his voice. _God, I'm such an idiot. Why can I talk to Ashley and Abby, but not her? _he thought to himself and she laughed softly, he didn't mind, he liked her laugh.

" Fantasy, Sci-Fi. Something like that." she told him.

Connor couldn't believe what he was hearing. She liked the same things that he liked. She... he still stared into her brown eyes, getting lost in them, she then looked up at him.

" You couldn't recommend anything, could you?" she asked him, curious.

He just smiled, feeling like he was in heaven right now, and it felt amazing!

* * *

**Stephen's Flat **

Stephen Hart had just gone back from a jog and from getting the newspaper back. He raised an eye brow when he walked into his flat, he suddenly looked down and saw a trail of blood. _Blood? _he thought, and then threw the newspapers on a small table and then followed the trail of blood that lead to his bathroom.

His eyes widen at the figure who sat by the bath.

It was Helen Cutter.

" Helen." Stephen said, the scene from the forest playing in his mind. Cutter... Abby.. Connor... the tears running down Ashley's face. He felt his blood boil as he stared down at the woman, it was her fault. It was also his fault, but he knew he would have to tell them one day... but he chose to ignore it.

It was her fault that Cutter didn't trust him as much.

It was her fault that Ashley was heart broken.

Helen looked up at Stephen and smiled at him. " Stephen... " she trailed off and gave a weak laugh as her brown eyes stared up at him, and on the look on his face she could tell he was angry, annoyed, that she was her. _  
_

_Of course he doesn't want to see me. _

" I'm sorry, I didn't know where else to go." she told him.

_Didn't know where else to go?! _Stephen thought angrily. " I think I need help." she continued, and showed him her wounded leg, it was covered with blood and dirt as she stared up at Stephen.

He then knelt down to her. " What happened?" he asked her.

Helen gave another laugh. " Getting eggs for breakfast wasn't so easy in the Cretaceous." she said to him as Stephen looked over at her wound, seriousness on his face.

" What did this to you?" he asked her, but then after that he felt stupid because he knew it was a dinosaur.

" A Pterosaur." she told him and he looked up at her.

He then sighed and got up, going over to his cabinet and said, " You need antibiotics." he said, and then looked through his cabinet and found what he needed to heal her wound.

" No, Stephen I need sleep. I really need a good night sleep without anything trying to eat me." she told him, as he knelt down to her again, not looking her in the eyes as he fixed her wound.

" Let me stay." Helen said to him, and then Stephen looked up at her. He was angry with her and then he looked back down and started on her wound again. " Just for a little while." she added, and then hissed in pain as he fixed her wound.

" Well, you'll live." he said to her.

" Do you care?" she asked him in a seductive voice.

" Yep." he answered, still not looking at her as he fixed her wound some more.

As his hand moved onto her leg to keep it still, she hissed in pain and then placed her hand on top of his. Stephen's body then tensed. He didn't like the feeling of her hot hand on top of his. He much prefer Ashley's soft, cool hand, it gave him a refreshing feeling, while Helen's felt like iron on his, her tense fingers on his hand.

She then moved her hand away and then looked back at him. " I'm sorry about what happened. I was angry." she told him.

Stephen still didn't look up at her, and then she said six words: " I didn't mean to hurt you."

He then started to get more annoyed. She didn't just hurt him, no it didn't really bother him, he wasn't hurt by her. He was hurt by the look of betrayal and sadness on Cutter and Ashley's faces. And she didn't just hurt him, she hurt Cutter. She hurt Ashley. No, she didn't hurt them. She _crushed _them.

" But you did. You hurt everyone." he said, still looking down and then finally looked up at her. His blue eyes were filled with anger, and annoyance as he said three words that he meant.

" You always do."

* * *

**The ARC **

Cutter sat at his desk, rubbing his hands together as he looked at Jenny. His blue eyes only looked on her. He wanted to go up to her and tell her about the whole Claudia Brown thing while no one was around, he wanted to tell her how much he cared, how much he missed her, how long his ached just wanting to see her face.

But he couldn't.

He would feel stupid for saying that, of course. She wouldn't believe him, call him crazy and odd. But he _wanted _her believe, he wanted her to remember who she really was. Cutter sighed, but she was talking to Lester about something.

Cutter watched as Lester looked pretty kind by her appearance. It seemed he actually like having Jenny around, as if she acted like he did. Cutter watched a smile grew on Jenny's beautiful face as she spoke to him.

Then, he finally got the courage to tell her. Cutter got up from his desk, as his gaze was still on Jenny and started walking up to her, but stopped in his tracks when Leek walked in front of him, going over to Lester and Jenny, holding a piece of paper.

The Professor's eyes widen, as he put his hands in his pockets awkwardly. He was so close to go and tell her, _so close_ , but then... Leek came and he waited. He was going to tell her...

Cutter snapped out of his thoughts, when his daughter walked up to him. Her brown eyes curious. " You alright dad?" she asked him again. He smiled at her, she was always so worried about him.

" Fine. Thanks, Ashley." he whispered to her and she nodded, and gave a smile to him.

" OK. Good." she answered him and then they both looked back at Leek as he handed Lester the paper. Jenny still had a smile on her face, and then when she turned to look at Cutter, her smile died.

" Brought in from the city. Ah, looks like a new anomaly, sir." Leek told him as Lester looked down at the file. Ashley's eyes widen as she heard the word, anomaly. Was there a new creature?

" It's a file. It has nothing to do with this." Lester said, handing Leek back the paper as Leek took it.

" Ah, we've intercepted Mobile calls from inside the building and there's a lot of chatter about foul smelling gases and a possible creature sighting." Leek said and on the last line Leek looked over at Cutter and Ashley.

" What kind of creature?" Cutter asked.

Leek looked down at the paper and then back at the two. " Um.. no information on that yet."

Cutter and Ashley watched as Jenny placed a hand on her hip and a look of disbelief on her face. " Creature?" she asked.

Jenny then looked over at Cutter as Ashley grinned slightly at her. " Told you this job is unlike anything you've done before, and the creatures are on of them." Ashley said to her, but Jenny still had a disbelieving look on her face.

* * *

**Connor and Abby's Flat **

Abby was feeding Rex, as a Bearded Dragon was on her shoulder. She heard footsteps come up the stairs and figured it was Connor, so she just kept looking at Rex.

" Abby?" Connor called, a bit nervous.

Abby then turned around. " Hm?" her eyes then stopped at the pretty woman that was behind Connor. She looked at the two and Connor swallowed a lump in his throat.

" Um, this is Caroline." Connor said, as he introduced Abby to his new... 'friend.'

Abby felt something grow in the pit of her stomach and then looked over at the two. " Wow. Hi." she said to them. She watched as Caroline's eyes trailed off to Rex, who screeched at her, rudely.

" What is that thing?" she asked, walking over to Rex.

Abby's eyes then widen. " That thing? That thing is my... lizard." she said, awkwardly.

Caroline then started walking closer to Rex as Connor to her side and then smiled at her. " That's uh, that's Rex. He's, uh, harmless. He's really cool." Connor explained to her.

Caroline smiled and then held out her finger gently. " Hello Rex." she said and leaned her finger over.

Rex then tried to bit her, and Caroline jumped back, putting her hand on Conner's shoulder as he bit her lip.

" Oh, I'm sorry. He's not ... he doesn't normally do that. Bad lizard. Bad Rex." Connor said, and Rex then chirped before flying away around the flat. Connor then turned to Abby.

" I suppose he's just doing what his instinct dictates."

" Um.. I.. I invited Caroline around to come and watch this DVD with us, you don't mind do ya?" Connor said to Abby as she put the Bearded Dragon back in its tank.

" Early, Connor and I were having such a good time." Caroline said and Connor looked over at her soft hand on his shoulder. " He's really funny, isn't he?" Caroline added, a smile on her face.

Abby then looked over at Caroline and faked a smile, that feeling rising in her stomach. " Yeah." she agreed.

Caroline watched the two look at each other. " So are you two... a couple then, being-" Caroline started as Abby looked down at the other lizards, and when she heard the couple she looked up at the woman.

" Connor? No. God, no. As if." Abby said and then starting walking away from them, and then Connor told Caroline to wait and then walked up to Abby and glared at her.

" You don't have to make it sound quit so unlikely." Connor said to her.

Abby then looked up at him. " Who is she?" she asked, trying to hide the jealousy in her voice.

" Dunno. She picked me up at the video shop." Connor said to her.

" She picked you up?" Abby repeated, raising her eye brows.

" Yeah. A lot of women find me attractive." he told her, he then saw her look down, trying to suppress her laughter. " What?" he asked her.

" Nothing." she said with a smile.

Connor then looked over at Caroline and then back at Abby. " Look, I think she really likes me. So don't lock it up for me, OK?" he asked her.

She then sighed. " OK." she agreed, and as soon as she said that, their mobiles starting ringing. They answered them, and Abby 'aww'd innocently as it was a text from Cutter.

Connor then closed his eyes and breathed through his nose. " Why does it have to be now?" he whispered and looked at Abby, who was trying to hide her grin.

" Not funny." he said to her.

Connor then turned to Caroline and smiled. " Caroline! Hey, um, I am so sorry, but something's just come up. I'm gonna have to go... it's-it's work." he told her, he was annoyed that he couldn't spend time with her.

Caroline frowned. " Shame... do you have a pen?" she asked him.

Abby was putting her jacket on and she placed her hands on her hips, knowing what Caroline was going to do.

" A pen? Yep... uh.. " he then ran over to a desk and looked for pens, until he found a tray of some and picked them up and quickly walked over to Caroline, who smiled at him.

' We have pens. M-hmm. Yeah. Ah. Here you go." he told her, and smiled. She smiled back and gracefully took one of the pens, and then held Connor's hand as his eyes widen, his face turning pink as she started to right something down on his hand.

" Here's my number. Call me." she told him gently.

* * *

**Stephen's Flat **

Helen was laying in Stephen's bed, naked. She smiled at him seductively as he stared down at her, gripping his cup of coffee tighter as she rolled around on the bed, still covered in the white sheets.

" It's good to know we could still be friends." Helen said to him, and rolled over again, getting a comfortable spot on the bed. Stephen still stared at her, and gripped his cup tighter, not speaking.

Stephen then pulled out his mobile. " I have to go." he said, looking at her. Her back ( that was still covered in the sheets ) was facing him. He could literally see her roll her eyes.

" Is that Nick? Hmm... his master's voice." she said and ran a hand through her now short hair.

But Stephen didn't care. He didn't care about her, now. He cared when he liked her, when she rolled in the bed with the sheets and ran a hand through her hair, but he got over that as soon as the... 'affair' was over. He loved Ashley.

" I want you gone by the time I get back." he said, and with that, he walked away.

* * *

**The Office Building **

Ashley, Cutter, and Jenny climbed out of Cutter's Pick-Up Truck and started walking to the Office Building, Ashley stood next to her father as Jenny stood on the other side of him.

" You didn't expect me to buy all this stuff about dinosaurs?" Jenny asked, with a smile and a laugh.

" Honestly? No." he answered her, staring at Jenny and Ashley shifted. She knew what he was thinking.

Jenny then saw Cutter staring at her, and Ashley tried not to laugh by the look on her face. " Could you stop doing that please?" Jenny asked him.

" Doing what?" he asked.

" Staring at me." Jenny stated.

" I'm not allowed to look at you?" Cutter asked, and Ashley bit her lip again to stop from laughing. Her father was full of questions today.

" Not like that." Jenny said.

" Like what?" Cutter asked, not looking at her now.

Ashley sighed as she watched the two talk. She could tell that Cutter had really missed Claudia.

" Like you know me." Jenny answered.

Cutter then turned to face her, as Ashley walked in front of them, giving the two their space.

" See, I feel like I do know you." Cutter stated.

" You don't, because if you did, I'd be aware of it, wouldn't I?" she asked him.

" Oh, no. Not necessarily."

" Lester told me you were... odd."

Ashley rolled her eyes at the name Lester. It seemed as though Jenny thought he was a very impressive man. Cutter looked over at Ashley's back and knew she rolled her eyes.

" Don't put too much faith in anything Lester says." Cutter stated and Ashley turned around nodded, she really hated that Government Official.

" I don't see why not. He seems like a very impressive man." Jenny said.

Ashley then turned around, and raised an eye brow at the older woman. She really believed that about their sarcastic boss?

" You're right, I probably don't know you." Cutter said.

As they walked through the scene, Jenny held her badge as the Police let the three of them threw. As they were about to go over to the building a fireman turned to look at them.

" You can't come in here." he said, stopping them.

" Sorry, this is a matter of national security. Can you ask all your men to withdraw until I give the all clear?" Jenny told him.

" What?" the fireman asked.

" I want all these people back half a mile. And if any of your team speak to the press, their fired." Jenny finished.

" Now do as she says." Cutter said.

Ashley then turned to Jenny and raised an eye brow. " You always this bossy?" she asked.

Jenny then looked up from her purse and over to the younger woman. " I understand that the object's to get the job done." Jenny told her, she then moved towards the crowd as Ashley, Cutter, and the fireman moves towards the building.

" So, what we got?" Cutter asked, looking at the building.

" Some kind of chemical leak. We've got a few idiots who ignored the alarm, trapped on the 14th floor. Two of my fire fighters are in there as well." the fire man said and turned and walked away.

" Yeah, OK." Cutter said.

Ashley then turned around from the building as Stephen came running next to her father. " Sorry, sorry, sorry. I got here as soon as I could." Stephen said to them, breathing slightly for air.

" Is everything alright?" Ashley asked Stephen. She was worried about him. He then looked over at her, and then back at the building. " Yeah, everything's fine." he said after a few seconds of silence.

Ashley looked over at him, but didn't comment on it. Then sighed as she, Cutter, and Stephen walked towards the building leaving the crowd, including Jenny behind.

" Where are you going? What am I suppose to do?" Jenny called to them.

" Ah, you'll think of something." Cutter called back, not even bothering to look at her. The three of them then walked into the building, and since they thought it was a fire they walked passed the elevators and started running up the stairs.

* * *

" Wait, a minute. If there's no fire, the lifts will be safe." Stephen said, from behind Ashley and Cutter. Ashley looked over at him and nodded and they all started walking forwards again.

Stephen then opened the door to the 8th floor, and then quickly closed it feeling, as they all coughed. Ashley felt her head spin and her body tense, as she leaned against the wall for some support.

" Smells like sh- ... something rotting." he started to say, and then caught himself quickly.

Ashley nodded, and scrunched up her nose and coughed badly.

" That's their version of... the Earth's atmosphere. It's probably Precambrian." Ashley stated, feeling sick at the smell that still lingered around.

" It's, high in Sulpher and carbon dioxide." Cutter finished for his daughter, they all then turned to the door as they heard a woman's voice, yelling and screaming.

" Help! Help!" came the woman's voice. Ashley then took a deep breath, knowing they were going into the room.

Stephen then opened the door, and the three of them entered the fogged hallway. Ashley then started coughing again, and felt her body shaking slightly. Apparently, she was never gonna get used to the smell.

She stayed close to Stephen, as her father walked over to the woman who was sitting on the table with an axe in her hand. She was a fire fighter, it was Rachel the one from earlier. She looked around the fog, worried.

" Are you alright?" Ashley asked her, as soon as she got close enough.

" There's something inside the fog." Rachel ( the fighter fighter woman ) replied to her.

Ashley then moved forward to see what it was, wondering what exactly could be inside the fog. Then suddenly something giant rose up as Ashley looked at it wide eyed and then grabbed a trolley towards it. Stephen kicked the trolley so it would get more of a hit.

The two then started to back away, Stephen in front of Ashley, who started coughing again.

" Give me your axe! " Cutter called, as the Rachel threw him her axe. Then the creature, which appeared to be a Giant Worm, rose up in front of Cutter and Cutter hit it with the axe.

It then threw to what seemed a be black tar substance at him. Cutter quickly ducked out of the way, and Stephen pushed Ashley slightly down as they both ducked in time as the black tar hit the wall.

Cutter then hit the room two more times and it fell to the ground. " Right come on. Here, do your job." Cutter said handing Rachel back her axe. Rachel then took it confidently. " Get us out of here." he told her and she nodded.

" Run." Rachel said to them, as she stood in front of them. Ashley then suddenly grabbed Stephen's hand and pulled her with him out of the room. Cutter burst through the door and Stephen and Ashley came through behind them. Rachel, was behind them now got caught by the worm, as Cutter tried to close the door on it.

Stephen and Ashley ran to go help Rachel. " Get that door!" Stephen said as he and Ashley tried to pull her backwards, as she then fell on the floor and away from the worm.

" No! No! No! Get back!" Stephen said as Rachel continued to try and kick the door closed. Ashley then grabbed the axe and threw it to her father as he was the closet to the door.

" Wait, wait, Wait! Wait, wait, wait! Stop! Stop! " Cutter said as he caught the axe again, and he was about to something with it, the room was out of the fog and then collapsed on the floor. It died.

Stephen, Ashley, and Cutter leaned down to look at the room. " It's dead." Stephen said, looking down at the worm. Ashley sighed and got up, and then slid against the wall, coughing madly thanks to the fog, she could just feel her heart getting caught in her throat and it pounding loudly.

" What.. what happened to it?" Ashley asked, her coughs dying down as Stephen looked over at her and helped her up, as she leaned on his shoulder for support.

" I'm not sure... " Cutter said. " But I think it might it might be from even further back than we thought. The oxygen in our atmosphere must be like poison to it, so it can't breath outside of the fog." Cutter guessed.

" We've got to clear it." Ashley said to them.

" Yeah." Cutter and Stephen said, nodding.

" Get onto Connor, tell him to think of something." Cutter said, facing Stephen.

" Yep." Stephen said, moving away from Ashley and she nodded as he went to go call Connor.

Cutter then turned to his daughter, and noticed something. " Ashley, are you alright?" he asked her.

She nodded her head, coughing again and then looked at her father, curious. " Yup. Why?"

" Ashley. You look paler." he told her, his eyes full of concern.

" I'm OK. I'm not _that _pale now. Maybe it's just that fog.." Ashley told him and he nodded at her.

Rachel then walked forward to Ashley and Cutter. " They said there was a fire in the server room on the 15th floor. But there wasn't, just this fog. And something glowing." she finally said.

Ashley then turned around and faced the woman. " The anomaly." she answered.

Rachel then raised her eye brows, her face full of confusion. " What?" she asked. Ashley then cringed. _Whoops, didn't mean to say that out loud. _She thought to herself.

" It's a long story. Stick to the stairs, stay out of the fog on your way down." Cutter interjected.

" There are still people trapped up there!" The woman protested.

Ashley then faced her again. " We'll find them." she told the fire fighter.

" You've done enough. Go on." Cutter said, handing her back her axe.

She shook her head. " No, you keep it. You might need it."

" All right, thanks." Cutter said and then Rachel left, taking the stairs.

Rachel had just come out of the Office Building, looking scared as Jenny closed her mobile and walked up the small stairs to the building and up to Rachel, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

" Are you alright? What's going on?" Jenny asked her, and Rachel turned to look at the woman.

" If I told you, you wouldn't believe me." Rachel answered her.

Jenny then looked at her seriously. " Go to the police, don't talk to _anyone _until I say so and you'll be debriefed later." Jenny explained to her.

Rachel nodded her head. " OK." she said and then walked down the stairs to leave.

xXx

Jenny paced back and forth, as she held her Mobile up to her ear. " They're inside the building now, but frantically James, I have no idea what's happening. They won't talk to me... OK." she then slammed her mobile shut.

She turned to the clear doors of the Office Building, seeing if there was something she could see.

* * *

**Inside the Office Building **

Ashley, Cutter, and Stephen were climbing up the stairs and Cutter's mobile starting to ring. Ashley looked over her shoulder as they stopped short, and he looked down at the number as it read 'Jenny' but he didn't answer it.

" What do we do now?" Stephen asked as he stopped, Cutter and Ashley stopping as well.

" Can't go up. The fog's too thick." Cutter stated, as the three of them looked up.

Ashley then looked back down at them. " The lift?" she asked them.

" Tenner says I get there first." Stephen said, as he gripped the door handle and stared at Cutter. Ashley rolled her eyes and gave him a look that said 'Now is really not the time'

Cutter shrugged. " Yeah, alright." Ashley then groaned at the two. She really couldn't believe they were doing this now. Their lives were at stack, as well as many others.

Stephen then opened the door and then the three of them ran through the fog covered hallway, as they ran quicker, knowing exactly what was inside the fog. As they ran, Stephen mad it to the lift first and pressed a button.

Ashley stood in the middle of Cutter and Stephen as she coughed, and they waited for the lift to open.

_17... _

_16... _

_15... _

_14... _

" Come on, come on." Stephen said as the fog started to rise as Ashley coughed again and looked down at the fog and then back at the elevator numbers, praying that it would go faster.

_13... _

_12... _

It then opened, but instead of the three entering in it, fog was inside it and then one of the giant worms rose up from the fog. Ashley pressed herself against the wall as her father got the axe ready.

It then threw the black tar straight at Ashley, and she quickly ducked out of the way as Cutter was about to hit it with the axe, but it lunged at him and it made him drop the axe.

" Back to the stairs!" Cutter said and Ashley nodding following her dad to the door, but then stopped when three of the giant worms stopped in front of her, and she stood still, feeling her body shake as she looked over to see Stephen, who was here.

He then quickly grabbed her hand and they ran to go and hide somewhere.

" What about my dad?" Ashley whispered, not wanting anymore worms.

" Wait a minute." Stephen whispered back as they kept running, and gripped her hand tighter and then they found somewhere to hide.

xXx 

Cutter stopped at the door when he didn't feel or hear Ashley and Stephen behind him. He then turned to look and his breath got caught in his throat as he looked around frantically.

They were gone.

His blue eyes widen as his heart pounded. " Stephen? Ashley!" he called, but got no response.

* * *

**The ARC **

Connor and Abby were standing in front of a weapons on a self in the ARC's armory, with Leek, looking impressed with all the weapons. But none of those would help, for what they need.

" None of this stuff is any use." Connor said.

" This is the latest in hi-tech weaponry. There's equipment here that'd make James Bond cry with envy." Leek said to them.

Connor nodded. " And I understand that, but we need something that's gonna clear fog." Connor explained and Abby nodded.

" Well, fine something that will clear fog then." Leek said, and then walked away.

Abby then had an idea as she faced Connor. " Garden center." Abby said to him.

Connor then smiled and looked at Abby. " Abby, you're officially a genius. " Connor said.

The two were then walking down the halls of the ARC, and one of Lester's SAS soldiers walked past them, before dipping his head down, hoping they didn't see his face.

Connor did though, and he recognized it. It looked like... " I know you don't I?" Connor asked, looking at the man who looked up at him.

" I'm working. You've probably seen me around." he replied.

Abby then walked behind Connor and tugged his arm. " We don't have time for this Connor. Come on." she told him and he nodded, as the soldier started walking away and so did Abby.

" Abby! Come here a sec." Connor called to her and she turned around.

Connor then pointed to the SAS soldier. " Did you see the scars on that guys neck? " he asked her.

" No." she answered, and then the two faced each other.

" He just... I swear that, that was the guy from the Shopping Mall. The Cleaner. After the raptor attacked... he just... vanished. Come on, you must remember him." Connor said.

" I didn't really look at him. And anyway why would one of Lester's soldiers pretend to be a cleaner in a shopping mall?" Abby asked him.

He nodded his head. " Come on." she said and then the two walked away.

* * *

**The Office Building **

Ashley coughed quietly as she and Stephen walked into the foggy halls of the Office Building. She then bit her lip to stop her coughs and she looked around, her eyes widening as she couldn't see anything.

Stephen stayed close to her, and whenever they made a turn he would go in front of her every time. They looked down at the fog, as they walked carefully through it, just wanting to get to Cutter.

Their eyes widen as they walked to a stop and saw that Cutter wasn't there. Ashley's breath got caught in her throat, where was he? Was he OK? Stephen must have been thinking the same thing.

" Cutter?" Stephen called.

" Dad?" Ashley asked, but the two got no answers.

Ashley then suddenly gasped as she heard a sound of one of the worms and then Stephen quickly grabbed her hand and then pulled her over to a lift, as they stood in front of it.

Stephen was behind Ashley, as they looked down at the fog, wide eyed. Stephen then quietly started opening the lift, but the doors were pretty hard to open. Ashley bit her lip as a sudden worm came in front of her.

It's mouth then came close to her cheek as she bit back a yelp as she felt its breath on her skin. She guessed it was sniffing her, she swallowed a lump in her throat as she saw more of the worms come towards them, she just hoped Stephen would open the lift faster.

The two stayed completely still as the worm went over to Ashley's bare neck, sniffing. It then moved lower to her bare shoulder and started sniffing her shoulder and she bit her lip harder as its mouth played with her shoulder. Stephen then got the lift doors open, still looking at the creature that was... sniffing his girlfriend.

Stephen had enough of this.

He then flicked his watch to a timer, as it made a beeping sound, he then clapped it off his wrist and then threw it in the fog and it caught the worm's attention as he launched to the ground, along with the other worms.

Stephen then opened the rest of elevator doors with his elbows and then held Ashley's waist, before lifting her up and putting her in front of him inside the elevator as he closed it.

Ashley then yelped silently as the looked down. It was an endless black pit, until they hit something. Ashley then sighed, " Great." she muttered, as she felt one of Stephen's hands on her waist.

His other hand grabbed his mobile that was in his pocket, and dialed Cutter's number, before holding it up to his ears. Ashley then looked up at him with wide eyes.

" Stephen. He can't look for us, we can find out own way out." she whispered to him and he nodded, gripping her waist tighter, but she didn't mind at all. Stephen then heard Cutter pick up.

" Yeah it's me." he said.

_" Where are you? Where is Ashley?" _came her father's voice and Ashley sighed in relief, he was OK.

" Ashley's with me. But, listen it doesn't matter the place is infested, so don't come looking for us. " Stephen said to him and then their eyes stopped at a ladder that was in front of them. " We'll fine our own way up."

_" Make sure Ashley's safe." _she heard her father say.

" I will. I always do." Stephen answered, and Ashley felt her cheeks heat up.

* * *

Jenny was now in the main room in the building as she called Cutter, and for once, he finally answered her. " It's me. Why haven't you been answering any of my calls?" Jenny asked him.

_" Been a bit busy." _Cutter answered.

" Listen, I'm coming up." Jenny said as a finally decision.

_" That- no, no, no. Don't do that. " _Cutter said.

Jenny sighed. She wanted to help. " Look, I'm tired of this. I want to know whats going on, and quite frankly, you can't stop me." was Jenny's reply. She then heard Cutter sigh.

_" Alright, you take the stairs to the 12th floor and I'll meet you there. Now, don't use the lifts. I'll repeat that for you, don't use the lifts." _Cutter said as he hung up the phone.

" Yeah, fine. Whatever." Jenny said as she hung up. Jenny then put her mobile in her purse and then walked over to the stairs and rolled her eyes and then looked down at her heels and rolled her eyes.

" Twelve flights in heels. Men." Jenny said and then walked over to the lift and went inside.

* * *

" OK, Ashley, you're going to jump first OK? I'll be right behind you." Stephen told Ashley, his hands now off her waist. Ashley nodded and then breathed through her nose and then looked down, before looking back up.

" You'll be fine... " Stephen whispered in her ear and she nodded again.

Ashley then breathed through her nose and then jumped to the ladder, as she jumped she closed her eyes and then she opened them, but her hands weren't gripping the ladder tightly, and she started slipping.

She gasped and then felt a hand on her ankle, and looked down to see Stephen, and he smiled up at her. " You're OK. Just climb up." he told her, Ashley looked down at him and nodded, climbing up the ladder.

As they were climbing, Stephen heard something under them and looked down to see an elevator climbing up. His eyes widen as he looked at Ashley, worriment in his voice.

" Ashley! Faster!" he said to her. She then shook her head. " I can't! That's as high as it reaches!" she told him and looked down, her brown eyes full of fear as she saw the elevator coming up to them.

Ashley closed her eyes and gripped the ladder tighter, praying that the elevator wouldn't hit them. She prayed harder hoping it didn't hit Stephen since she underneath him.

Then she gasped as she heard the elevator beep and then quickly looked down, Stephen was OK. She sighed in relief as he did and he looked up at her and smiled, she then looked over at the elevator and raised an eye brow.

" Who's the idiot that took the lift?" she asked, finding her breath

* * *

Jenny then looked out of the open elevator doors and then her eyes widen at the fog that was in front of her. She walked out of the lift, and then started coughing as she looked around for Cutter.

" Cutter?" she asked, but there was no sign of him.

" Cutter!" she called again.

A worm them rose behind her as she placed a hand on her hip.

xXx 

As Cutter was halfway up to the 12th floor and then he looked up when he heard screaming.

Jenny's scream.

" CUTTER!" She yelled in fear.

Cutter then shook his head. " So stupid-" he kept on muttering as he quickly climbed the stairs to get Jenny, she obviously hadn't taken the stairs and took the lift instead.

When he came in the room, she was now being attacked by one of the worms, it had a hold of her hair. He then rolled his eyes at the scene before him as he saw Jenny.

" Oh great." he said and then turned to his left to see three Samurai Swords and then took one out and then ran over to Jenny as she still screamed his name, he then used the sword to chop off the worms mouth/head and it fell and so did Jenny as she panted for air.

" Next time I say take the stairs, you take the stairs!" he yelled at her, his face red in anger.

Jenny looked up at him and nodded her head before a worm came and spit the black tar on Cutter's leg and he looked down and then yelled and fell to the ground as he was getting attacked by the worm.

Jenny gasped as she crawled over to get the Samurai sword that Cutter used to save her and then got up and lifted the sword before chopping off it's mouth/head herself.

He then shot up. " WATCH! Where you're swinging that thing!" he yelled at her.

" Next time, I'll leave you to get yourself out of trouble!" Jenny yelled back at the Professor.

" Fine! It's not like I was asking for help!" Cutter contradicted, standing up and glaring at Jenny Lewis.

" You were doing so well on your own!" Jenny stated.

That's when Cutter had it. He had no idea why, but he was starting to get annoyed by Jenny. Maybe because she wasn't Claudia Brown... he then glared harder, shaking that thought away.

" Everything was fine, until you showed up!" Cutter argued.

He then started walking away, and Jenny followed him.

* * *

Opening the door as the two returned to the stairs, Jenny pressed her hands to the railing, panting for air, not believing what she was seeing. Cutter calmed down and took off his jacket, staring at her.

" You alright?" he asked her.

" It's all true... Creatures? Dinosaurs?" she asked in disbelief. " This is my new job? How?" she added.

" Later on, I'll explain everything I know to you but, right now I've got work to do and if you can't handle it, you'd best go back downstairs right now." he said to her, grabbing his sword as he looked over at her.

Cutter then turned his head when he saw Abby and Connor walk up the stairs, holding leaf blowers.

" You two took your time." Cutter said to them.

" You ever been to a garden centre on a Friday afternoon?" Connor asked him, looking from Nick to Jenny.

" It's a madhouse." Abby interjected.

Cutter then nodded at the leaf blowers. " Leaf blowers, that's a good idea." Cutter commented.

" Where's Stephen and your daughter?" Jenny suddenly asked, _finally _realizing that Ashley and Stephen weren't here. Cutter then turned her, now his thoughts were roaming on if they were alright.

" We got separated." Cutter answered as he moved forward and starting walking up the stairs to the 13th floor, Jenny, Connor, and Abby behind him.

* * *

Stephen and Ashley opened the elevator as fast as they could. They were standing on something. Ashley then rolled her eyes as lots more fog was now in front of her, and she started coughing again, why was she always coughing?

She felt Stephen's hand on her waist as he helped her out of the lift and she helped him. She then coughed again, and Stephen looked at her, concern in his eyes.

" What?" she asked, her voice in a whisper.

" Your... pale." he swallowed, seeing her pale.

Ashley raised an eye brow at him and looked at her hands and gasped, she was as pale as Connor, but a bit more. Must be the stupid fog. She then suddenly felt dizzy and started coughing again as Stephen held her waist.

" Stay close. We'll get out of here." he whispered to her and she nodded.

Stephen and Ashley looked around the halls and then they made a right turn and they were in an office. They stopped when they saw some of the chairs moving and figures moving towards them.

Ashley then quickly jumped on a desk, and Stephen quickly did the same. She looked around and started coughing again, feeling even more dizzy as she leaned her head against Stephen's shoulder, coughing, and looking at the worms.

" We gotta get you out of this fog." he whispered.

He then turned to Ashley. " Can you get up?" he asked her. Ashley then nodded as they slowly got up, standing on the tables. They saw the worms surrounding them and Stephen looked at the desk they were on and grabbed a small pen.

Ashley raised an eye brow. " A pen?" she whispered.

Stephen then glared at the pen and then threw it. They both knew that pen would do nothing.

They two looked around. They didn't have anywhere else to go.

* * *

Once Cutter, Jenny, Abby, and Connor got to the 13th floor they saw other people inside an office, the ones who ignored the alarm. The four of them walked in, pushing the fog away as they did.

" Connor, go ahead." Cutter said as they saw a woman trying to fight one of the worms.

" Follow me. Whatever you do, stay out of the fog." Cutter said to them.

" What are those things?" the woman asked them.

" They're worms. They're just a little less friendly than the ones in your garden. Alright, come on." Cutter answered.

The two of them got out. Cutter and Jenny in the front, while Connor and Abby were in the back, blowing away the fog.

Once they finally got on the stairs Connor sighed in relief.

" I think we're alright now." he said to them. Then a giant worm suddenly caught a hold of him. Shelly screamed, and everyone turned around to stare at what happened.

Cutter then walked up to Connor and then swiped off the worm, cutting it and killing it. Connor sat on the stairs covered in slime. Connor then started calling and Cutter tried to stop his grin.

" Are you alright?" he asked Connor, softly laughing.

" Yeah, yeah. Never been swallowed by a giant worm before, but I suppose it's all a learning experience, isn't it?" Connor answered him.

" It could have been worse. Yeah it could have been a lot worse." Cutter said as he, Jenny, and the two people walked away.

" You OK?" Abby asked her friend.

Connor looked up at her and nodded, and swallowed. " Yeah." he answered her. " Fine."

* * *

Cutter, Jenny, Abby, Connor and the two other people were now on ground floor, as Jenny and Cutter were escorting them out of the building.

" Who are you people?" the woman asked. " What happened up there?" she asked again. When she didn't get answers, she grabbed Cutter's arm and stopped him and made him turn to face her.

" Uh... I'm sorry. I wouldn't know where to start. " Cutter answered as he, Jenny, Abby, and Connor made their way towards the front desk.

" Listen, there was a fire, you heard the alarm, you tried to evacuate, but you got lost in the smoke." Jenny said to her.

The woman then turned to face Jenny.

" But what were those things?" The woman asked Jenny.

" What things?" Jenny asked, as if she didn't know what she was talking about.

" They killed Terry!" she protested.

" If I were you, I'd really think hard about how a story like that is going to sound out there. Just call it our little secret." Jenny told her. The woman didn't say anything as Jenny walked her out.

Cutter had to admit. She was good.

* * *

In the bathroom, Connor was washing his hands, trying to get the slime off of them. He then used some more soap, turning on the sink, turned off the sink, and then grabbed a paper towel and washed his hands.

He looked at his hands and his eyes widen. " Caroline's number... " he trailed off. The number was now washed off of his now clean hands. He then looked up at the ceiling. " Why?" he asked.

Connor then sighed in annoyance

* * *

At the front desk, Cutter was explaining to Abby and Connor about the anomaly and where it was, and finding Stephen and Ashley.

" Now, we've got to find Stephen and Ashley, and get them out." Cutter said to them.

" How are we gonna do that?" Connor asked him.

" The fog's coming from the anomaly on the 15th floor. Now, the worms can't breathe outside the fog." Cutter started to explain.

Abby nodded her head. " So we have to get rid of the fog." she stated.

" Yeah." Cutter said to her.

" Can't we just open the windows?" Connor asked him.

" None of the windows open because the entire building is temperature-controlled." Cutter said, facing Connor.

" Progress... what's the point?" Connor questioned.

" So, what do we do then?" Abby asked, ignoring Connor.

Connor then had an idea. " Temperature- controlled? Air-conditioning?" Connor asked.

" Yeah." Cutter answered.

" Well, all we need to do, then, is heat up the air, and, well, it'll expand and push the fog right out through the ventilation system. " Connor stated. Cutter nodded his head.

" Absolutely. Unfortunately, the temperature is controlled from the server room..." Cutter trailed off.

" On the 15th floor" the two of them said together.

" Of course it is." Connor said with a sigh. " It's gonna get seriously hot in here. We're going up, aren't we?" Connor asked, facing Cutter.

" No. You're going up there. I'm gonna go look for Stephen and Ashley." Cutter said, as he walked away. Jenny following him.

xXx 

" Let me help. I want to do something." Jenny called, and Cutter stopped and then turned to face Jenny as she looked back at Cutter and then he spoke to her.

" OK. I want you to go and bully a few traumatized bystanders, and then I want you to come up with some spin to just smooth all this away." Cutter told her, but his mind told him that wasn't going to work.

" You don't approve of me, do you?" Jenny asked him.

" No, I used to think you were really something, but you're not that person." Cutter answered her. And when he finally said that, he realized how harsh his words were.

" Am I suppose to understand that?" Jenny questioned.

" No, I guess not." And with that he walked away, and Jenny following behind him.

* * *

Ashley and Stephen were still sitting Chris-Cross on the table, as Ashley coughed quietly again, feeling her body pale even more as her and Stephen's eyes trailed on the worms surrounding them.

Once they seemed to be out of sight, Stephen and Ashley slowly sat up from the table, and then looked in front of them and saw another desk. They jumped onto that desk, and then on another desk, their eyes still on the fog.

Ashley jumped on another desk, and then onto a white drawer, Stephen next to her as their eyes were locked on the worms and fog. Ashley coughed again and her body shook for a second and then looked back at Stephen.

He then looked at her, as she pulled out her mobile and pressed it to her ear. She then gripped the ceiling as did Stephen as she heard her father pick up on the mobile.

" Dad, hi." she said and then coughed badly. " Stephen.. and I are on the 13th floor. " she then cleared her throat, coughed again, and looked at Stephen who shrugged. " Not exactly sure where."

_" What are you waiting for? Come down." _her dad's voice said. She knew that he was worried sick about her, and to hear her voice like this and her coughs only worried him more.

Ashley then rolled her eyes. " Yeah, a bit of a problem with that. Leave it with us. " Ashley told him and then hung up. She and Stephen stared at each other and then back at the fog that was pooled with fog worms.

* * *

Connor and Abby were on the 14th floor, carrying the garden blowers on their shoulders as they climbed up the stairs and Connor breathed in and out, finding his breath.

" Hard work this is." Connor panted. " I have to go back to the gym." he added. Abby then looked over at him and smiled as they climbed up more of the stairs to the 15th floor.

" I can't believe I watched number off. Such an idiot." Connor said.

" I know, shame." Abby said.

" She's gonna think I'm too cool to call now." Connor continued. Abby rolled her eyes and looked over at him.

" Maybe you'll bump into her again, yeah?"

He then raised his eye brows at her. " Pfft. When was I ever that lucky, ey?"

Abby then laughed softly, as they finally reached the 15th floor and Abby looked over at Connor.

" You first." she said to him.

Connor opened the door and then coughed, quickly closing it.

" Foggy?" Abby asked.

" Bit foggy, yeah. I think we're gonna have to find another way in." Connor said.

" M'kay... " Abby said.

Connor then looked up at the vent. Next thing Abby knew, he was poking his head through the vent. He looked around. " It's clear." he said and Abby nodded, and handed him the leaf blower.

" No, I think I'm gonna have to get by without it. Little space" Connor told her, looking down at her.

Abby then sighed and then climbed up in the vent as well. Connor was in front of her and held a map, as she was behind him. Abby then crawled to fast and she was almost onto of Connor's back.

" Abby, could you not, crowed me so much? Personal space, thank you." he told her and Abby rolled her eyes.

Connor then looked up and then at the map. " Oh hang on. This is... yeah, yeah the server room should just be up here to the left... or no, that might be the right. No, hmm." Connor said looking at the map and Abby sighed and grabbed the map from him.

" Give it here. No. It's that way to the left. " she stated.

" Really?" Connor asked and she rolled her eyes and then crawled in front of him.

" Whoever said men could read maps?" Abby asked.

* * *

Jenny and Cutter were walking up the stairs as Cutter had a leaf blower. " I'm impressed." Jenny said as they continued to walk up the stairs. " After everything Stephen's done, you're still willing to risk your life for him." Jenny huffed from behind Cutter.

" Meaning what?" Cutter asked her.

" Lester asked me to asses anything that might interfere with the team's efficiency. I thought Stephen's affair with Helen would have come into that category." Jenny explained.

Cutter then stopped and turned to her. " So, he sent you here to spy on us?" Cutter asked.

" I prefer to call it management appraisal." Jenny corrected him.

" And you think I should leave him up there to die, just because of what happened between him and Helen? While my daughter is up there with him?" Cutter asked her.

" Some people would." she said.

" Well I'm not one of them." Cutter explained to her and then started walking again.

" Whatever problems, I have with Stephen: I can sort them out myself. " Cutter said over his shoulder, just wanting to find his daughter and his friend. he heard Ashley's voice on the phone and her coughs and it did not sound good at all.

* * *

Connor and Abby were still in the vent as Connor kept on mumbling random numbers, Abby huffed and turned to him. " What are you doing?" she asked, annoyed.

" Trying to remember Caroline's number, don't put me off." he said quickly.

Abby sighed and then continued crawling.

* * *

" Cutter, you're the team leader, we can't afford to loose you." Jenny said as they went up the stairs, and they stopped and Cutter stared at her. _So she thinks I should just leave them? My friend? And my only daughter? _

" Now the most sensible thing would be to let Stephen and Ashley fend for themselves." Jenny told him.

Cutter rolled his eyes. She didn't hear Ashley's voice on the phone. How bad it sounded, and it said that she just wanted to leave already. Cutter then sighed and nodded.

" Yeah, yeah, you're right. Now are you coming? Or are you gonna stay down here and be sensible?" Cutter asked Jenny. He then started walking quickly up the stairs.

* * *

Ashley and Stephen were still on the drawer as they felt the worms hit it. Stephen then held onto the ceiling for support, while his other hand slipped on Ashley's waist.

One of them spit the black tar, but it missed them. Ashley rolled her eyes. " Wonderful." she muttered. She and Stephen then shared some looks and then he suddenly grabbed her waist and placed her on the desk in front of him.

" Keep running!" he told her as the leap on the same desks they used to get in. Ashley turned to look when Stephen and he got caught in the leg and then fell over. Ashley then yelled and went to move before Stephen came up again.

" Ashley.. don't move. It doesn't know you're there." Stephen said as a worm came next to Ashley, and she stood still. She then watched in horror as a worm rose in front of Stephen.

He grabbed one of the worms and photocopied it Ashley then got a keyboard and smashed it on the worm's head and then kicked it.

Stephen looked up at her. " Told you too stay still."

She shrugged, and then coughed. " Still would have ate me if I didn't move." she told him.

A worm then rose behind Stephen and Ashley jumped off the desk and grabbed it by the mouth/throat as Stephen then stabbed it into a water cooler and she sighed in relief.

* * *

Abby then landed out of the vent as she was in the server room and then looked around, fog surrounding her. Abby then walked over to some machines and then Connor's voice came.

" Abby, I think it's that one." Connor whispered, pointing to something.

She then walked over to it and nodded, and pressed the button several times. Until it stopped at 34. " That's enough." Connor said and Abby nodded her head and then looked back at Connor.

" Come back." he told her. Abby then quickly walked over to him and his eyes widen, as he saw a worm behind her. " Worm." he said and Abby spun around as a worm rose behind and she started kicking it and punching it.

" Nice... move." Connor said.

Abby then looked up at him. " Connor, in your own time." she told him and he helped her up.

She was then on top of him. " I can't breath Abby..." Connor said and she got off and stared at him.

" Is it working?" she asked.

" I hope so."

* * *

Cutter and Jenny then entered the room, as Ashley looked up at her father and coughed badly. She couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face when she saw her dad as she and Stephen breathed heavily.

" You two took your time." Stephen said to them.

" Well you two went off on your own." Cutter said as Ashley sighed and ran up to her father and hugged him hard, trying not to cough on his shoulder as she felt dizzy again. She needed this fog out of her.

The leaf blower was around him as he hugged her back, digging his head into her hair. " Thank god, you're OK." he said and she breathed, and shook her head on his shoulder.

She coughed. " Nope. I feel sick and I keep coughing." she answered him and he left go, and then put a hand on her forehead, she gently took his hand off and grinned.

" Otherwise. Yeah, I'm OK."

Jenny then looked around the room. " The fog's lifting." she said and Ashley nodded, leaning her head against a cabinet, and sighed. She coughed slightly still and then rubbed her temples.

" It's working." Cutter answered.

Ashley then raised an eye brow. " Um.. what's happening to them?" she asked her father as the worms got bigger.

" Must be the heat." Cutter guessed.

" They're expanding." Jenny said, fear in he voice.

Suddenly the worms exploded, sending millions of spawns on Ashley, Stephen, Cutter, and Jenny. They all tried to pull them off, they were on their legs, arms, cheeks, on their noses.

" God! They're spawning! Their not biting, their burrowing. Their trying to find a new host. Don't let them break the skin." Cutter told them, as the four of them started taking off the smalls worms off themselves.

" We gotta find something to bring the temperature down." Cutter said, looking around the room to find something.

" It'll take too long." Stephen answered him.

Ashley's eyes then stopped to look at a fire alarm above her. She jumped on the table that was underneath it.

" Anyone got a light?" she asked.

Jenny took a lighter from her purse and handed it to Ashley, she lit it and held the flame just below the fire alarm and then water sprayed all over them, bringing the heat down. The worms then fell off everyone as the water hit them. Ashley sighed at the feeling of the cold water against her now hot skin.

She turned around and Stephen held onto her, helping her down from the table.

Cutter then turned to Jenny and placed a hand on her shoulder. " Claudia, are you alright?"

Ashley then clenched her eyes tightly as she knew what was going to happen.

Jenny then glared up at Cutter.

" Don't call me Claudia!" she exclaimed to him. " And I'm fine." she added.

Stephen then started laughing in relief, as Cutter joined him, and so did Ashley. She didn't feel dizzy, or didn't feel her coughs coming, and she even felt her skin returning back to normal.

* * *

**Outside of the Office Building **

Ashley wrapped a towel around her as she walked up to Stephen and smiled. " Hey, how you feeling?" he asked her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She then looked over at him and nodded.

" I'm fine.. thanks Stephen. For keeping me safe back there." she said to him.

" I always will." he told her, smiling.

Ashley nodded, and then kissed his cheek and then saw her father walking towards them and she smiled back at Stephen before walking away and over to the Pick-Up Truck.

Stephen and Cutter were sitting on the steps of the Office Building.

" Do you ever wonder, if what we're doing is right?" Stephen asked Cutter.

Cutter then looked over at his friend and gave him an amused smile.

" I mean, what if the anomalies have a purpose? Maybe we should stop fighting and face them." Stephen said to him.

" What? Just stand by and do nothing?" Cutter asked him.

They sat in a comfortable silence and then Stephen spoke up. " People should now what's happening. Cause, we're gonna need to prepare for whatever come next. " Stephen said.

" Yeah, but, how do you prepare for a world where evolution has gone mad? We have to try and find and contain some kind of natural order." Cutter said.

Stephen sighed. " Does anybody really know what the natural order is anymore?"

Cutter then sighed and then walked away.

* * *

**Ashley's Flat **

It was a sunset now and Ashley ran a hand through her hair, she really needed to get out of these clothes. She walked over to her door and got out the keys and unlocked it, and smiled as she stepped into her flat.. or their flat.

" Ashley!" a female voice came and Ashley turned around to see her friend, Hilary, glaring at her, her hands on her hips. Since Ashley came back, she had no where to stay, Stephen offered her a place to stay at his flat, but she turned it down, so she went to her friend's house. She was still raising money for her own flat.

Ashley sighed and rubbed her tired eyes. " Hilary, I'm really tired, so can you just-"

" What happened? Why didn't you answer my texts and calls?" Hilary asked.

The woman then sighed. " Hilary. I had to go to work and-"

" What happened at work?" Hilary asked.

Ashley bit her lip. " I... uh... somethings. There was a fire, but everyone's OK." Ashley lied to her and Hilary knew she was lying as she raised her dark eye brows at her.

" Why exactly do you do for your job?"

Ashley then stayed silent. She knew her friend was pissed.

" Look, Hilary. I can't explain-"

" Leave."

Ashley stopped talking and stared at Hilary. And raised her eye brows. " Leave?" she repeated and Hilary nodded.

" I'm sick of the secrets. The lying, Ash. I can't live with someone who lies. So, I've packed all your things. I'm sorry, but leave."

Hilary passed Ashley some boxes and Ashley sighed and then left the flat, wondering where she would go now...

* * *

**Stephen's**** Flat **

Stephen opened the door to his flat and looked around. " Helen?" he called and then got no reply. She left. She was gone like he told her. He didn't believe that she would actually leave.

He jumped when he heard a knock on the door. He then rushed over to the door, wondering who it would be and then his eyes widen at the person who was at the door.

Ashley.

She looked even more awkward then he did. " Stephen, hi. Um... do you- ahem... do you remember when she asked me if I could have a place to stay?" she asked him and Stephen's heart thumped.

" Yes?" he asked, wanting her to continue.

She then took a deep breath. " I know this is really stupid and probably very, very rude. But... you don't mind if I stay with you... right?" she asked him, avoiding his eyes.

He then swallowed. He always wanted her to come and live with him. He wanted to see her face every morning and kiss her goodnight, cuddle on the couch and watch a movie, eat together...

" I don't mind at all."

* * *

**Abby and Connor's Flat **

" Tea? Here we are." Connor said as he walked into the kitchen, holding two cups of tea. Abby smiled and then took the tea gently from his hands and smiled wider.

" I just wanted to say Abby, I think you did... really well today." Connor said.

" I think you did really well, too. You did good" she smiled.

" High-five to us."

The two then high fived and then they heard a sudden, familiar voice. " Hello?" the voice called and footsteps could be heard, only to reveal Caroline as she looked at the two.

" The door was open. I think I left my mobile here earlier." she said and walked over to the couch and then picked up the mobile and then turned to them and smiled.

" Oh, that' a relief. I've been looking for it all day. I wouldn't want to miss your call." Caroline said and smiled at Connor.

Connor laughed. " That's weird, cuz I'll day I've been thinking about- you know what? It doesn't even matter. Do you fancy a drink? Like, not a cup of tea, obviously. Like a proper drink. You know, somewhere out there." Connor gestured to nowhere in particular.

" Why not?" Caroline asked.

" Now?" Connor repeated.

" Now." Caroline said, a smile on her face.

Connor then laughed. " Super cool. " he said and then grabbed his jacket and headed down stairs, and then Caroline stopped and turned to face Abby who looked disappointed.

" Oh, why don't you join us Abby?"

" Um.. no I'm fine." she said and Caroline nodded her head, and then left.

* * *

**Jenny's House **

Cutter was in new clothes and he stood outside of Jenny's house and then pulled out his wallet from his pocket and then opened it, smiling sadly at the picture of him and Claudia Brown.

He then closed his wallet and then looked back up at her door. It was already hard enough, just standing at her doorstep.

Cutter stood in his spot for a few seconds, until he finally got the courage and then walked up to her door and knocked on it with the special handle. He was hoping she could understand - empathize with him.

The Professor then took a deep breath as he waited for her to answer. And she did.

Her hair was in a side pony tail, she didn't have a lot of make-up on, and she wore some actually normal, clothes. She looked so curious why he was here at her doorstep.

" OK. Um... here's the thing, suppose... there was another world once... and... you were a different person. And suppose there was an accident that happened... in the past, which meant that world evolved differently. So that... some people who'd lived... were never even born and other people grew up with completely different lives. Now, what if all that were possible?"

He did. He explained it to her. Jenny looked like she was going to say something, but then a man walked behind her. And Cutter stared at him. He looked two young to be her father, and he couldn't be her brother...

" Who is it, Jen?" the man asked.

The Professor's world then came crashing down.

" You're busy. I'm so sorry." He apologized and then walked away, feeling his heart crush and fall to his stomach as he walked over to his Pick-Up truck, just wanting to get some sleep.

" Who's that?" the man asked, behind Jenny.

Jenny's brown eyes looked over at Cutter as he drove away. " Just someone I work with." was her answer.

* * *

**This took forever! I'm serious! But I loved how it came out though, and that Jenny/Cutter scene at the end broke my heart! I ship them so hard! Sure, I ship him with Claudia more, but they are so cute! Please review! **

**- Love and HeartBreak21 **


	4. THE STORY UPDATE

**Hey! I just wanted to thank everyone who read my Primeval Stories! I'm so glad you all enjoy them! **

**I just wanted to give you guys an update on when I will upload my chapters. They will be uploaded on Fridays. **

**I don't know what time I would update my stories, though. Because I'm so busy most of the time. **

**But don't worry! I will update soon on Friday! **

**And if you can, you are always welcome to PM be and give me suggestions on this story, or any of my other stories! **

**So! I will see you soon, with more Primeval-Season 2!**

* * *

**- Love and HeartBreak21**


	5. Episode 3: The Smilodon

**Primeval Season 2 **

**Episode 3**

* * *

Ashley Cutter-Handson sighed as she woke in up in the morning, and then realized once again that she wasn't in her normal flat. She was Stephen's flat. Her brown eyes widen as she looked in the bed she was in. She looked around some more and then yawned quietly, not wanting to wake Stephen up if he was sleeping.

She felt so odd in his flat. She looked around the room she was in and bit her lip, all her stuff was here. She placed them neatly in the flat so she couldn't ruin it, she didn't want him getting mad. She had only been staying here a few weeks, and was feeling a bit more comfortable. Ashley sighed and then remembered the first time she came here.

_" I don't mind at all." _

_Ashley was surprised by the words. She then looked away from him, and nodded. She didn't know why she felt so awkward now. They had talked before... and they were still boyfriend and girlfriend. Maybe it felt odd because she was still angry about the affair? _

_" Do you have everything?" he asked her, and Ashley nodded her head sadly at her boyfriend. _

_" Yep... Hilary packed all my things for me while we were... ya know. Dealing with giant fog worms." Ashley explained to him with a frown. She felt horrible that she couldn't tell her friend about her job. _

_" Hilary.. kicked you out?" Stephen asked her. Ashley looked up at him and shook her head, before biting her lip, she then nodded, and then thought for a moment before shrugging. _

_" She just told me to leave. I was still raising money for my own flat, the zoo doesn't really pay that well." Ashley said to him and he nodded, and then she say his eyes widen and she jumped, when he grabbed her hand and pulled her in. _

_" Stephen?" she asked, raising an eye brow. _

_" Sorry. It was a little cold outside and you're in wet clothes. And you stood outside my door... I wanted you to come in." he told her, a grin on his face and Ashley laughed softly and nodded and looked around his flat and thought. _

_" What?" he asked her. _

_Ashley then looked over at him and smiled. " I just realized, I've never been to your flat before." she said to him and Stephen nodded, as they laughed softly and she looked around. It was a very nice place. _

_" So.. right here is the main room. The bathroom is down the hall over there. And your room could be... " Stephen said and then held her hand and lead her to an empty room, that must have been empty since he first asked her if she wanted to come and live with him. _

_" Right here." he finished and Ashley got a good look at the room. There was a window that had some curtains covering it, there was a large bed that was probably an extra, a dresser, a closet, and a small desk. _

_" It's... very nice." she said, her voice soft, she had some boxes and seat them neatly on the bed and then looked over at him and bit her lip, she knew she would feel so awkward when she asked this. _

_" Do you have a bath or a shower? I feel terrible, and probably look like it to. If you don't... then-" she started to say but Stephen interrupted her by waving his hand slightly. _

_" No. I have one. It's in the bathroom. We have a shower and a bath." he told her, and she smiled when he said 'we' and then nodded her head. _

_" OK. Let me get some extra clothes to put on." she said and then quickly grabbed some clothes and then quietly walked into the bathroom. She looked around and then sighed, and closed the door and then went over to go take a shower. _

_After she was done she wrapped herself in a towel and then dried her hair shyly. She still felt awkward doing this. Ashley then quickly sighed and then brushed through her hair before getting changed in a long sleeved pajama shirt and some short shorts and then walked out of the bathroom, and into the main room. _

_" Stephen?" she called, then Stephen came from the kitchen and then turned to look at Ashley and then cleared his throat. _

_" You're back." he said, stating the obvious. _

_Ashley nodded her head. " Yeah.. I know that." she said to him. _

_He then nodded quickly and the two went to go grab the boxes that she had brought. Ashley moved with shy, timid movements as she did, she then sighed under her breath as she opened the boxes and placed everything in the room neatly, it was still his flat. _

_She then picked up a picture of her and the team. It was her, Cutter, Stephen, Abby, Connor, and yes, even Lester. Ashley smiled softly at the framed picture and then gently hung it up on the wall, and smiled over at it. _

_It was now about twelve o'clock and Ashley had just finished unpacking her stuff. And she was tired. She looked around the room and smiled, it felt cozy. She then looked over her shoulder and walked in the kitchen, to see Stephen making something. _

_" Stephen? What are you doing?" she yawned. God, she was so tired. _

_Stephen then looked up at her, wide eyed. " What are you doing here? I thought you fell asleep." he said. _

_Ashley shook her head. " Nope. Now, what are you doing?" she yawned. _

_" Making some chocolate milk." he stated. _

_Ashley raised her eyes brows and then softly laughed at him. " Chocolate milk? Oh, jeez." she said to him, still a bit over awkwardness in her voice as she talked, he then smiled over at her. " You should get some rest, you've been busy." _

_" Haven't we all?" she asked him and then walked over to the kitchen softly and stood next to him. " You don't mind... if I make myself some..." she trailed off and Stephen shook his head. _

_" No. Go 'head." he told her. Ashley nodded and then grabbed a cup as Stephen walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a cartoon of milk and handed it to her, she then smiled softly and took the cartoon. _

_" Thanks." she said and then turned to her cup, and then poured the milk and then jumped slightly, when she felt his hands slip around her waist as she poured the milk. She then turned to look over her shoulder at him. _

_" You just love doing that, don't you?" she asked. _

_He smiled and then shrugged. " So... that's a yes?" she added with a small smile. _

_Stephen smiled again as she faced the milk, she then opened a cabinet which had some of the chocolate powder. She opened it, and then looked at Stephen and raised an eye brow. _

_" Where are the spoons?" she asked him. _

_" Right here." he said and opened a draw with spoons, forks, and butter knives. She nodded and then gently took a spoon and then faced the cup again and then started mixing the powder and milk together. _

_She smiled as she felt one of Stephen's hands on top of hers and he helped her stir that chocolate milk. " What... are you doing now?" she asked, not facing him, and he shrugged still spinning the milk. _

_" Helping." _

_" I know how to make chocolate milk, Stephen." _

_" I know that. " he told her and she rolled her eyes and then she stopped stirring and then jumped slightly when she felt Stephen's chin rest on her shoulder, she then turned her head around to her shoulder and then he gently kissed her neck. _

_" Thanks for your help." she said and then went to go pick up her cup, and Stephen grabbed it for her and smiled, handing it to her. She laughed as he picked his cup up. _

_" Cheers to us, for not dying today." he said and held his cup up. _

_" Cheers." Ashley said as the clicked their cups together and laughed softly. " I've never done that... with chocolate milk." she said to him and then took a sip of it as did he. _

_She then set her cup down on the counter when she saw something on his mind. " Everything alright?" she asked him. _

_He looked up and nodded. " Yeah." he lied, and she knew he was lying. _

_" You sure?" _

_" ... No." he answered after a moment of silence. _

_Ashley bit her lip. _He doesn't want me here. _she thought and then looked back up at Stephen. _

_" W-What's wrong then?" she asked. _

_He sighed and then held her hands, making her look up at him. " Ashley... do you still trust me?" _

_She certainly didn't expect that. _

_" O-of course I do." she said to him. _

_" OK. I just wanted to say... Ashley, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I never told you or Cutter about Helen. I couldn't help but feel guilty since then. I wanted to tell yo... but then I thought it would be better if I didn't tell you two." _

_Ashley stayed silent. _

_" I really hope you can forgive me, Ashley. I know I probably sound desperate, but... I just want to know that you truly trust me, and know that I'm sorry. You can.. um.. break up with me for being a jerk, but I want to know that you still trust me and except my apology." _

_Ashley was stunned. She thought about. She was mad at Stephen about what happened with her mum... but that was in the past. She was still mad that he never told them, but she knew he knew that he should have. _

_She thought for a **long **time about the whole thing and then looked up at him. _

_" OK, Stephen. I trust you. And I know you felt bad about what happened... I'm still mad and heart broken about that. But I do forgive you. I don't know about our relationship... but I would still love to have it. Just... no more lies and if something's important, tell me and Cutter." she told him. _

_Stephen nodded his head and then breathed through his nose and then kissed her softly on the lips. One of his hands was on her elbow, gripping it softly while the other was on her waist. Ashley's hands stayed to her side and she sensed. Her eyes narrowed, and then they widen, and finally they closed, melting into the kiss. _

_They soon broke apart and she smiled. " I-I should be going to bed." she yawned, tired. _

_He nodded. " Yes. 'Night, Ashley." he told her. Ashley nodded. _

_" Night, Stephen." she then quickly kissed his lips and then walked into her new room, feeling a lot better. _

Ashley then blinked. She looked around the room, and felt awkward again. " Maybe this wasn't a good idea." she said to herself, but then shook her head. Stephen helped her, and showed her around the house and made her a more comfortable.

The only reason why she felt awkward is.. oh, never mind. She just had to get used to it for a few more days.

She jumped when her mobile beeped and then grabbed it, moving some hair out of her face as she read the text. She had to go to the ARC. She then quickly jumped out of her new bed, and then ran over to go and get changed.

* * *

**Blue Sky Park **

Howling could be heard as two young women ran through Blue Sky amusement park's paintball arena. One woman had straight long blonde hair and the other had short curly brown hair. The two of them came to a clearing where they started and the women faced each other.

" Which way?" asked the brunette.

" I was following you." was the blonde's reply.

The howling sound then started again, but it sounded closer this time.

" What was that?" the blonde asked nervously, looking around.

Nearby, a large stack of boxes fell forward and the girls started screaming, and when the boxes fell it revealed a young man, holding a paint gun and then stared firing paint balls at the girls. " Eat paint ladies!" he said, laughing.

" No! Don't!" the blonde screamed at him.

" Get lost!" the brunette defended.

The man just laughed and then ran off, laughing.

" Creep!" the blonde said as he started leaving.

" Warren, you are such a loser! Just push off!" the brunette shouted at Warren. Unknown to the three of them, something was watching the entire scene. Running deeper into the paintball arena, warren laughed and fired more paint balls.

He stopped laughing when a heard a few twigs snap, from where he was. He raised his helmet and mask and looked around, but saw nothing. " Is that suppose to be frightening?" Warren asked.

Suddenly something came running over to him and he was hoisted into the air by that something. Immense pain shot through Warren's body. He started screaming in pain, but they soon dimmed into absolutely nothing.

* * *

**A Cafe **

At a cafe, near a river, Caroline was sitting at a table with some coffee waiting for Connor. Connor and Abby then pulled up in Abby's car, as Connor quickly got out of the car, and Abby got out and called,

" Don't be late!"

" Yep." Connor said, not looking at Abby as his brown eyes were fixed on Caroline, who smiled sweetly at him.

He then ran over to her, as she sat at the table. " Hey! You alright?" he asked her, as if he was in a hurry.

" I got you a coffee." Caroline said to him. Connor then looked down at the coffee and then back at her. He then laughed kindly.

" That's lovely, but I'm sorry Caroline, but I've... I can't stay." he told her, he really wanted to go and be with her, but he had to do his job. He was showing Professor Nick Cutter and Ashley Cutter-Handson his new anomaly devices, and he couldn't wait to see the smile on Ashley's face when he did.

She then slumped down. " Oh that's a pity. Work again. You've must have been the busiest student I ever met." she said, a slight frown on her face. Connor felt bad.

" I know, it's just a bit crazy right now, I've got to do this presentation... about zoology. It's really boring stuff, I'm sorry." he said and then started walking away to Abby.

" Connor." Caroline said.

Connor spun around. " Yo?" he asked.

" Come here." she said gently, gesturing her finger to make him go over to her. Connor then slowly started walking over to her. " Come here..." she said again and then he stopped next to her.

" Try me. I'm interested in animals." she said, smiling at him.

" Yeah?" Connor said, falling in a dream-like-state as he looked into her brown eyes, a crooked smile on his face.

" M-hmm." she mumbled.

Connor then looked over at Abby who over at him and raised an eye brow. Connor then turned back to his girlfriend. He then laughed and then gripped the table. " I really wanna stay! I have to run, I'm sorry, Caroline. I am." he said to Caroline, who's smile died down.

Her smile came back. " You're sweet." she said.

Connor's eyes flew open and he found himself feeling dizzy. " Am I?" he asked.

" M-hmm." she nodded. Connor then smiled at her and leaned down and kissed her cheek. He didn't see Abby clenched her fist and look down when he did. He then picked up the coffee.

" Thanks for the-for the coffee... it's really-" he started to say and then took a sip of the coffee, and then burnt his tongue. " Quite hot." he said to her and she laughed kindly, and he laughed as well.

" I'll text ya!" Connor said with a small wave and then turned to leave, and headed towards Abby. " I really just burnt my tongue." he told her, Abby then rolled her eyes, not caring.

" Get in the car, Connor." Abby said and Connor got in the car, and drove off.

Caroline watched them go and then pulled out her mobile and pressed a button. A picture of Rex then popped up on her screen. She then sighed and then pressed send, as the mobile said,

**Sending... **

**Your image ****has been sent **

* * *

**The ARC **

Ashley sighed, as she waited for Connor and Abby to show up. She, Cutter, and Stephen were waiting for the two of them to show up. Ashley bit her lip and looked around the ARC, waiting for them. She felt Stephen slip a hand around her waist.

She had her hair down, as usual, a necklace with a golden closed locket, black flat ankle boots, tight black trousers, and a long sleeved light pink shirt on. She sighed once again.

Jenny then came over and stood next to her father.

" So, who's your boyfriend?" Cutter asked Jenny, putting his hands in his pockets. Ashley's eyes then looked over at the two, and frowned at her father. Jenny had a boyfriend? And it wasn't Cutter? Ashley sighed, and shook her head as she felt Stephen kiss her hair.

" Fiance. " she corrected him. Cutter then felt his heart squeeze, even worse. It was her fiance. He then nodded his head, trying to hide his disappointed face from her, and he did good, but Ashley caught. " Fine, thanks." Jenny added.

Leek then looked came over and looked down at his watch. " Yeah, just waiting for Connor, he should be here in a minute." Cutter said to her, Ashley then bit her lip. They've only been working with Jenny for one day a few weeks and he was already falling for Ms. Jenny Lewis.

Just then, the two double doors opened and they all turned around to see Connor and Abby running up to them, out of breath. " Sorry! Sorry." Connor said to them as Abby ran behind Ashley, who moved closer to the table that her father was now sitting on. Ashley looked over at Abby, and could see something was bothering her.

" Would you kindly put me in the driver's seat, please?" Connor asked as he tapped the man that was sitting in front of the Anomaly Detector. Ashley couldn't help, but feel a smile on her face. Excitement was washing over her, as she looked over at Connor, but she kept big her smile from when he was finished.

Connor then stood in front of it and tapped the keyboard and then turned to the team. " Oh! I would like you to meet the Anomaly Detection Device. Or ADD for short. Actually, that's probably the best acronym-" Connor said all at once.

Ashley smiled and shook her head at her friend.

" Connor." Cutter said. " Breathe."

Connor then took a deep breath. " Sorry. " he said and then looked over at Ashley, he was waiting for that smile to come. " What you're looking at is a fully-integrated graphic representation of the radio communication matrix, networking the whole of the UK's transmitter's." Connor said finishing.

" Congratulations. You built your very own Satnav." Jenny said, making everyone look at her. Ashley then slightly rolled her eyes, Connor frowned at her. He worked really hard on this, and that small comment kinda hurt.

" I believe you can get them dashboard size now." Leek said fiddling with hie tie. Ashley then growled lowly at him. This man was getting on her nerves more than Lester.

" This watched over the UK 24/7. So... " Connor said and glanced at his friends. Ashley then looked up at him and gave a quick nod, as if she was telling him to continue. Connor then hit a button on the keyboard and then an alarm went off over their heads and a red light flashed, everyone looked up as the noise continued.

" What is that?" Leek asked.

" That's is just a demo... but when a real anomaly appears this machine can alert us within seconds." Connor answered with a smile.

" Good work." Cutter said to him.

Connor then turned to Cutter, and smiled. " Thank you very much." he said.

Ashley then smiled at her friend and he looked over at her, and then felt proud of himself for impressing the Professor _and _his daughter. Connor then turned off the alarm and held up a small device.

" Here's one I made earlier. This is a palm held detector for use in the field, it's a short wave radio receiver it's got effective range of about 100 meters or so." Connor explained to them, handing the small device to Cutter.

" I was hoping for something a little bit more compact." Cutter said looking up from the device, and then handed it to Ashley and Stephen.

" Yeah, it's just a prototype, so we can work on that." Connor said hurriedly, as Stephen passed the detector to Ashley. And she had to say, she was very impressed.

" Have you tried beaming up with it yet?" Jenny joked.

" Are you here to help, or be sarcastic? Cause this is a serious piece of kit. Will be when I've ironed out all the kinks." Connor said, as Ashley passed him back the detector.

" Technical question." Leek said, as he came back from a phone call.

" Yes?" Connor asked.

" Is the detector on line now?"

" It is."

" Hmm. So it should be picking up every new anomaly?"

" Yeah." Connor said.

Ashley shifted, she had a bad feeling about what the little man was about to say next. " So why have I just been told that we have a new creature attack?" Leek asked loudly, holding up his phone. Everyone's eyes widen at they glanced over at Connor.

* * *

**Blue Sky Park **

When they got to the park, Ashley and Cutter were looking at the boy who had been attacked. Ashley looked at the boy and shivered, she never liked this kind of stuff, but she had to do it.

" We've seen enough, Abby. Zip up the bag." her father said. Abby then zipped up the body bag up.

Ashley then looked over at Connor, who held the small hand held device in his hand, looking for any signs of a where the anomaly could be. So far he wasn't having any luck.

" Claw marks everyone." Ashley said, turning back to her father who nodded.

" He's been ripped to shreds." Cutter finished, and Ashley hugged herself. She always hated this part, seeing the innocent victims attacked by what ever creature came.

" If we were back at the zoo; I'd say it was a lion. See how the bones have been gnawed?" Abby said to them and Ashley nodded her head.

She felt as if this was going somewhere. " Alright a big cat, then." Ashley explained, looking up at her friend, Abby. The two women grew close, and they spent some girl time together when they could.

Ashley, Abby, and Cutter looked up at Connor, who looked back at them. " No radio interference. No magnetic field. No sign of an anomaly." Connor explained to them, looking at Cutter and Ashley though.

" You know, I checked. I double checked every chip and circuit board in that detector. It's working, I'm telling you. If there was an anomaly, it would've shown up. Stake my life in it." Connor added, seeing the looks on the two faces.

" You may have to." Cutter said to him.

" No, no. Maybe's he's got a point. Perhaps there is another explanation for this." Stephen said, coming to Connor's rescue.

Ashley then thought about. He did have a point.

" There are thousands of big cat sightings every year. Pumas, Leopards, Lynxes." Abby explained to Cutter.

" Yeah, but none of them are big enough to do this kind of damage." Cutter told them, shaking his head a bit slowly.

Ashley then thought for a moment. " Could have escaped from a Private Zoo." she said, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

Abby looked over at her friend, and nodded her head. " Yeah well, find out if anything's been reported." Cutter said to Abby. She then started walking off, leaving Connor, Ashley, Cutter, and Stephen.

Stephen then felt something vibrate in his pocket and then pulled out his mobile, and then he felt his breath leave as he got a text from someone. But, it was Helen Cutter.

**'I'M FINE NOW, THANKS TO YOU. YOU'RE THE BEST. SEE YOU. **

**LOVE, **

**HELEN.'  
**

Stephen couldn't believe it. She just texted him. He didn't want her to text him, he didn't love her anymore. She was a love from the past. As his eyes stopped at the screen, he didn't see his girlfriend looking at him with concern.

" Everything okay?" Ashley's voice came to him, gently. But it startled him, as he jumped slightly and looked up at her.

" Yeah, yeah, yeah." Stephen lied, feeling dizzy and then walked down towards the trees. Ashley looked over at her father, confusion all over their faces. She was about to go after him, when Connor's voice stopped her.

" If it is, just an ordinary big cat...well, yeah, if it's a normal explanation for all this.. stuff. The anomaly detector would be off the hook right?" Connor asked them, as Ashley stilled stared at Stephen.

" Maybe." the two answered, before Ashley got up, and sighed, deciding to give him some space.

* * *

Ashley then suddenly found herself, stepping over a wooden face by Stephen. Cutter and Jenny were in front of them, Connor and Abby were behind. They were going to see the person who found the body.

" Valerie Irwin. Did you find the body?" Jenny asked, walking over to a young woman who had shoulder length brown hair, fair skin, and light hazel eyes and wore a red jacket. Ashley found it cool, they had the same hair style but not the same hair length and they both had brown eyes.

" No, I'm Deputy Park Manager. One of our guests was out running. He called the police." the woman, Valerie explained to Jenny.

" Who have you told?" Jenny questioned.

" Just my Managing Director, Peter Campbell." Valerie answered her.

Jenny nodded.

" Good, no press, no friends?" Jenny asked, and Valerie shook her head. " Keep it that way. The whole incident is under wraps for the time being." Jenny finished.

" Are you the police?" Valerie asked.

" I'm going to need to speak to the man who found the body. Do you know where he is?" Jenny asked, totally ignoring Valerie's question.

Valerie blinked. " I put him in a hospitality suit. Obviously he's very shocked-" Valerie started to say.

" I'm sure. Whenever your ready." Jenny said to her, with a slight nod. She moved so Valerie could walk past.

Valerie didn't move. She just shook her head, confused. " I'm sorry. What did you say your name was?" Valerie asked. Ashley then glanced at Jenny.

" I didn't." Jenny answered, a kind, sneaky smile on her face, catching Ashley's eye. She moved again and motioned for Valerie to move in front of her once again. " After you." she said, as Valerie walked away with Jenny.

Ashley shook her head. She had to admit, Jenny was good.

* * *

People were screaming in joy as the Roller Coasters zoomed above Ashley. She then huffed in annoyance. She, Valerie, Jenny, Cutter, and Valerie's boss, Peter, who Ashley really wanted to kill walked along the park.

Suddenly a bunch of little kids walked up to Ashley and smiled. " Hi! Are you having fun?" they asked her, and the adults stopped and Ashley looked down at the two little girls that held onto her hands and the boys that smiled at her.

" Um... yes. So much fun, now umm.. Oh! I think your Mommy's looking for you. Go, go. Don't talk to strangers like me, go by her. OK. Bye." Ashley said, giving a small wave and then a sigh in annoyance, that was going on all day little kids running up to only her.

Her father chuckled and she hit him in the arm.

The two then looked back at Peter. " Are you insane? This is Pete's season, do you have any idea how much money we're talking about?" Peter asked and then walked up to a kid and patted his back.

" Hiya, I'm Peter, have a great Holiday at Blue Sky Park. Keep smiling." Peter said to the little boy, who seemed freaked out by him and then they started walking again, Ashley rolling her eyes.

" A big cat just _mauled _on of your guests to death." Cutter explained once again. Ashley and her father had said the words 'big cat' and 'mauled' to the idiot about 20 times, and he didn't care.

" You sure?" Peter asked, still smiling at the people. " Did you see it?" he added.

" No not yet." Ashley explained, looking at everyone running.

" Then this conversation is over." Peter hissed at them.

Some people then looked over at the idiot. " Hi! I'm Peter! Keep smiling!" he called to them.

" Look, you're gonna have to evacuate this place." Cutter said to him.

Valerie nodded. " Peter he's right." she agreed.

" When I want your opinion, I'll ask for it." Peter said to Valerie.

Peter then turned to Ashley and Cutter. " What if I close the park and nothing happens, hmm? It'll cost us millions in condensation." Peter said.

" He's got a point." Jenny said, making Ashley and Cutter spin around to face her.

" What?" they asked her.

" We don't want to create unnecessary panic. How about, we shut off the paint balling area, keep everything else open, how's that sound?" Jenny asked, trying to reason with the annoying man.

" I can deal with that." he sighed and then faced Cutter and Ashley, as he had to look up at them. " Keep smiling." he said, placing a sticker on Cutter's jacket and handing one to Ashley, scared that she might hurt him.

" And if you two say the words 'Big Cat' out loud again, I'll sue you." he smiled at them, before walking away with Valerie who gave them a 'Sorry' look, before following her boss.

Ashley growled and then held the sticker and ripped it vertically, throwing the two pieces of sticker in the trash, as Cutter looked over at Jenny and laughed in annoyance.

" I really wanna kill him." Cutter said, laughing and turning to Jenny and then looked over at Ashley.

" You have _no _idea." she sighed and then told her dad that she was going to go with Stephen.

Cutter watched Ashley leave and then faced Jenny as she spoke.

" Evacuate and we've got medium meltdown. How am I suppose to keep a lid on that?" Jenny asked, and then Cutter turned to face her fully. " What if the press stumble into an anomaly in the woods?"

" Look, listen, this animal's gonna kill again. It's inevitable." Cutter explained.

" Perhaps, but I happen to think running that risk is the lesser of two evils." Jenny said, looking up at him.

" Yes, but, if we keep this place open, people are gonna die." Cutter said to her.

Jenny sighed. " It's your job to say they don't. It's my job to protect the integrity of this operation."

" At any costs."

Jenny then stayed silent as Cutter took off his sticker. " Maybe we got lucky. Maybe the noise will keep the predator away." Cutter said to her, and then placed the Sticker on her shoulder before walking away.

* * *

In the small playground area where little kids play a mother sat on a picnic blanket with her baby boy as he drank some milk. She then looked up when she heard yelling to see her other children, a boy and a girl. The boy pushed the girl to the ground.

She sighed and then got up and went over to them. " I saw that." she said to her son, helping up the little girl. " Come on, sweetheart." she said as she helped her daughter.

" But-but that was not fair she was doing it as well." he complained.

" But, she-"

The voices were muffled as the baby heard a noise, a growling noise in the bushes. He then got up and walked over to the bushes, and then looked over at his mother that was talking to his older brother and sister.

He then walked closer to the bushes, and then a pair of white eyes opened and the growling got louder. The baby then screamed.

That, caught the mother's attention as she started running over to her baby, that was still screaming. She then ran up to her son, as he started crying as she picked him up as he cried on her shoulder. " Shh... shh.." she said comfortingly to her baby.

The white eyes of the creature still watched the kids.

* * *

Ashley looked around and saw Stephen looking through some bushes for any signs of a creature, she walked over to him and as she did a young boy walked in front of her and smiled.

" Hello. I don't know you, so bye." she said, not really caring about the boy that was staring at her and then walked over to Stephen, as he was still looking for clues.

" Stephen! Hey, are you sure everything's Okay?" Ashley asked, walking over to Stephen, who still looked in the bushes.

" Yup, everything's fine." he said, not looking up at her.

The young woman rolled her eyes. " Really? Doesn't seem like it." she muttered, looking around. This caught Stephen's attention and then stood up and faced his girlfriend.

" What?" he asked and she could see that she had angered him a bit.

" You seem.. I don't know different. Ever since those worms showed up in the Home Office, you been acting really different." Ashley explained, worried for the man she loved.

Stephen fully looked at Ashley, and straightened, seeing how much she looked like her mother. He felt guilty about lying to her, and Cutter. But he still loved Ashley and he cared for Cutter. But his past with Helen Cutter was keeping him to make his relationship with Ashley further. And now Helen was back, and she tried to get him back. And keeping things from Ashley, and Cutter seemed to be the only way that they wouldn't get hurt.

Ashley bit her lip as he didn't answer her, and then the two knelt down by some track marks, investigating it.

* * *

Cutter, Abby, and Connor walked over to the 4x4 Pick-Up truck.

" These people shouldn't be here." Cutter said, looking at all the guests running around, going on rides, and playing.

_" Cutter." _came Stephen's voice over the radio.

" Stephen?" Cutter asked, holding the radio.

_" We picked up a trail near an old farm. It's about a mile west of the Paint Balling ear." _Stephen explained what he and Ashley found.

" Alright. We'll meet you there." Cutter said, putting the radio away.

He wasn't there to see a bicycle heading towards Stephen and Ashley who moved out of the way, looked at each other, and shook their heads before walking away.

Cutter then faced Abby. " Abby, let's go." he said. Abby then handed her radio to Connor and then Cutter faced him. " Connor, keep an eye out. See anything suspicious, call me."

" Hang on, what am I suppose do to if I do see something?" Connor asked and then held the radio. " Talk it to death?"

Cutter then pulled out some keys from his pocket and handed them to Connor. " Here are the keys to the gun case, only use them in the last resort. You got it?"

" Loud and clear." Connor said as Cutter and Abby started running over to the Pain Balling area.

* * *

Connor then sat on a ladder that was high enough to spot anything. He kept looking around for any signs of a creature, but all he saw were people and all he heard was screaming of joy and laughing.

He then heard something beeping in his pocket and it turned out to be his mobile. He raised an eye brow, wondering who it could be and then he smiled slightly at the screen name. It was Caroline.

**'WHERE R U? **

**HAVING FUN?'**

Connor smiled wider at the screen, looked back up at the park seeing that everyone was fine, and then looked back down at his mobile a smile on his face and then began to type.

**'No fun without **

**you' **

Connor smiled down a his reply and then closed his Mobile.

* * *

After a while, Ashley heard her father's voice coming from the radio. Stephen was looking around for more signs, and then Ashley answered the radio as she heard her father's voice.

_" Stephen. Did you see anything?" _Cutter asked.

" Fresh tracks. We think it's doubled back on us." Ashley answered quickly.

_" Ashley, wait, you mean it's heading back towards the park?" _Cutter asked, worriment in his voice.

" Looks that way." Ashley answered and then put the radio away and then she and Stephen started heading back towards the park.

* * *

Connor was texting Caroline and then smiled at her text. He was about to text her back, but he stopped when he heard little kids screaming and looked up seeing people running.

" Oh my god." Connor said, looking at everyone running away and screaming their heads off.

Connor quickly got down from the ladder and ran over to the Pick-Up truck, over to the gun case. " Cutter!"

_" Connor?" _came the Professor's worried voice.

" There's a creature I'm going after it!" Connor said and then put the radio down and grabbed a gun and started running over to the crowd of people. He was yelling for them to move out of the way.

" OUT OF THE WAY!" He screamed, running.

" PLEASE! BACK OFF! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" he yelled again, just wanting to save anyone from harm.

" Please get out of the way!" he exclaimed to them, and then ran over to were the rustling was and didn't see a figure come over to him. Ashley, she quickly started running over to him, but Connor already took a shot.

He started running away, Ashley following him and yelling his name.

" COME ON! Get out of the way!" he yelled as he came over to the bush and then held his gun up and Ashley stopped right behind him, panic written all over her face as he was going to shoot.

Peter Campbell came out of the bush in a lion costume, the head of it having a bullet whole. Ashley's eyes widen some more and put her gun down, and glared at the man.

" You idiot!" she yelled, but he didn't seem to care as he stared at Connor with wide eyes.

" You! You! You shot me! You shot me, look!" the man exclaimed and then showed Connor the damage he did.

Connor felt like an idiot. " You alright though?" Connor asked him.

" Do I look alright? You shot me!" he yelled again and then screamed randomly, and Ashley glared over at Connor.

* * *

Peter, Jenny, Cutter, Ashley, and Connor were walking along the bridge to one of the rides. Peter was in the front as the rest of them were trailing behind him and he was very angry about what Connor did.

" I'm calling the Police. I could have been killed." Peter said to them.

" I'm afraid that won't do you any good. I've spoken to the Police, Mr. Campbell, and they won't be taking any further action." Jenny said to Peter.

Ashley saw that he got angrier. " Oh, what am I suppose to tell everyone? " Peter asked, turning to face Jenny and then went back walking.

" Why don't you tell them it was just a silly stunt that gone wrong?" Cutter offered, and he and Ashley looked over at Connor.

" And of course, you must let us pay for a new... costume." Jenny stated.

The five of them stopped under a small hut over the bridge. " If you'll excuse me, I have a train to catch. I have to be at Head Office tonight and try and explain why someone was shooting at our guests." Peter said to them before walking away.

Ashley raised an eye brow at him as he walked away. " Shooting at your guests? I believe Connor was shooting at _you._" Ashley stated, pointing to man with a bullet whole in his costume.

Peter turned to her and opened his mouth to say something, shook his head, and then walked away.

" It was an accident." Connor said as Jenny, Cutter, and Ashley turned to face him. Cutter and Jenny looked like scolding parents, while Ashley looked like an annoyed older sister.

The three of them then started walking away and they heard Connor call, " Guys!" and when he did, a water ride came and water splashed all over Connor and he looked down at himself.

* * *

Ashley looked over at the map that she and her father were looking at. Ashley sighed as she shook her head, looking over at the map. She just wanted these people out of here. The two of them didn't hear Abby walk behind them, holding a mobile.

" It's Jenny." Abby said to them.

" What?" Cutter asked looking up and then back down.

" She says the farm, you and Stephen saw belongs to a man called West. And get this; he used to import exotic animals. Lost his license three years ago for illegally bringing in lion cubs for a private zoo." Abby explained looking at Ashley.

" Fine. Tell her I'm on my way." Cutter said as he and Ashley started walking over to the front seats of the Pick-up truck.

" He's on his way." Abby said to Jenny from the phone as Cutter opened the driver's side door.

Abby looked back at them. " She said she'll meet you there." Abby said.

" Why, why? Why is she coming?" Cutter asked, obviously startled that Jenny was coming.

" Obviously she doesn't trust you with the Public." Abby said, grinning over at Cutter and then looked at Ashley, who was grinning back and then the two women started laughing quietly.

Cutter looked at the two. " And why is that funny?" Cutter asked, smiling.

* * *

**West Farm **

Once Cutter and Ashley got at West's Farm, they realized that Jenny hadn't showed up yet. Cutter threw his jacket on one of the car seats and Ashley felt like an idiot for wearing a long sleeved shirt. The two then walked around the back of the farm when they heard small noises coming from the shed. They looked at each other before edging closer to the doors.

" Who are you? What do you want?" Came a voice, making the two spin around. They saw an older man carrying buckets of food. Meat, to be exact. Ashley stood tall.

" We're from the... James Lester Animals Foundation. You've probably heard of us?" Cutter said, coming up quick with a lie that was off the top of his head. He watched Ashley stiffen a giggle.

" No." the man said.

" Well, never mind." Ashley said.

" We've had a little bit of bad luck recently. We had to have one of our lions put down. And we heard that you might be the right man to help us replace it." Cutter finished.

" I'm not in that game anymore." The man said.

Ashley then raised an eye brow, placing her hands on her hips, giving him a smile, and then it died down quickly. " Well, you're not exactly gonna be feeding chickens will all that meat, are you?" Ashley asked, motioning to the bucket of foods.

The man stayed silent. " What you got in the barn?" Ashley asked.

" You have to leave, now." The man said.

" Not until you show us what you got in the barn." Cutter stated.

Mr. West put the two buckets down and moved forward, slightly. Ashley and her father moved back a little. " I'm warning you." Mr. West said as he started moving closer.

" Mr. West!" Came the voice of Jenny as she walked up the path towards the barn, with a smile on her face. " Hi, Jenny Lewis. Nice to meet you. I'm sorry about my colleagues. I told them it was a dirty trick." Ashley looked at her dad and then shook their heads in disbelief.

" Trick?" West repeated. He looked back at Ashley and Cutter, before looking back at Jenny.

" Yeah, trying to catch you out like that. We are from the Ministry, you see. We had a report that you might have been going back into your old animal importing business." Jenny explained.

" That's rubbish." West said.

" Of course it is. So it won't bother you showing us whats in that barn one bit, will it?" Jenny asked, shrugging slightly and giving him a smile, and then batted her lashes.

" It's dogs. That's all." West said, looking over at Cutter and Ashley.

Ashley then found out what Jenny was doing and gave him a smile. " Oh, I love dogs. Couldn't have a quick peek, could we?" Ashley asked, with a smile still on her face and bit her lip.

" You better stay back." West said, as Cutter held Jenny and Ashley's arms, moving them back from the shed.

" Unbelievable." Cutter whispered about the way Jenny and his daughter persuaded West to let them see what was in the barn.

Mr. West opened the barn doors, suddenly two Alsation dogs ran out, only to get so far as they were chained up. Cutter pulled the two girls out of the way as the dogs barked and bared their teeth. " I'm breeding them for pets." West stated.

" Pets?" Cutter asked.

" Guard Dogs." West said again.

Jenny looked a bit shaken up after the dogs bared and barked. " Well, thank you very much Mr. West. Sorry to have bothered you." Jenny said and then the three of them turned away, heading to the truck.

" You're a flirt." Cutter said to Jenny and Ashley bit her lip.

" What?" Jenny asked, laughing.

" You. You were flirting with him." Cutter answered her.

" I was being friendly. Your way wasn't exactly working, was it?" Jenny asked him.

" Well no, I don't have the eyelashes for it." Cutter stated and Ashley laughed softly from in front of her father and then turned to face him.

Jenny then held Cutter's arm and faced him, and when she did that, Cutter turned to face her. " Listen, you do the creatures. I'll do the people. Deal?" she asked and held out her hand.

Cutter looked down at her hand and smiled, and shook his head, before walking away.

Ashley had a smile on her face as they finally got to the truck. " You're not jealous that she was flirting with him, instead of you, right?" Ashley teased her father and Jenny laughed softly, knowing it was a joke.

Cutter gave Ashley a look. " Of course not." He said and then they hopped in the truck.

* * *

Later that evening, it was getting dark and the whole park had closed. And now, Cutter, Ashley, Stephen, Connor, an Abby were standing in the woods around the Paint ball area. Ashley got her Heat Sensitive Camera as Cutter handed them to the rest.

" What are these?" Abby asked as soon as she got hers.

" They're Heat Sensitive Cameras. The creature knows this territory well. It's made a kill here. And we think it's gonna come back. Now, It's mostly nocturnal, so it senses are going to be sharper than ours." Ashley explained to everyone.

" Now I shouldn't have to say this, but be careful... any questions?" Cutter said to the team.

Connor raised his hand. " What?" Cutter asked, pulling out his gun.

" Can I have a gun?" Connor asked, and Ashley scoffed, grabbing her Pistol.

" Take a wild guess." she told him.

" No?" Connor guessed, looking at Cutter and Ashley.

" Good guess. If you're worried, stay close to Abby." Cutter finished as he, Ashley, and Stephen walked away.

xXx

A Little later on, it was now fully dark, pitch black. Connor and Abby were walking, Abby was in front of Connor as he trailed behind her, and looked around and stopped when he looked at Abby.

" I was trying to Protect people today, you know. I think it you were in that situation you would've done, exactly the same thing." Connor said, lifting his camera and looked at Abby.

" Yeah, well maybe without shooting the guy in the Lion costume." Abby stated.

Connor frowned. " The sun was in my eyes when I was- I'm not talking about it again." Connor said and then put on the camera again and then looked around and he stopped to look at Abby, seeing the heat that Abby was giving off.

" Although, you do look really hot through these." he said.

" It's infrared, Connor, not X-ray."

* * *

Ashley held her small Pistol in front of her as she looked around the woods. All she could see was the heat from the Heat Sensitive Cameras, she looked over at her father who held his gun. She was in middle of the two men.

She straightened when she heard twigs snapping, she looked over and saw Stephen walking to her and then the two looked around the woods. Once or twice the noise seemed as if it was coming closer. Ashley then stood closer to Stephen, as the two looked around. Another twig snapped and they turned into the direction of where the noise came and then they saw the head of an engine. They both walked closer to it.

The two lifted up the camera slightly to see a better view of the van. Ashley jumped when they heard snapping noises, and they turned around putting their camera's back on and aimed their guns at point blank.

" It's Valerie." a female came. Stephen and Ashley sighed and put their guns down.

" We know who you are. What are you doing out here?" Ashley asked. She and Stephen then pulled their cameras off.

" My van. The engine just cut out. I didn't know what to do." Valerie said, walking closer to Stephen. Ashley thought for a moment. _What is Valerie really doing here? _She was lost in her thoughts, she snapped back when Stephen spoke.

" Where do you live?" he asked her. Ashley looked at him, shaking her head slowly. He was taking her home. She then sighed, she knew his was going to do it anyways. He gave her a gentle nod and kissed her cheek.

" Be careful, OK?" he told her and she nodded.

" You too. I'm going go to my dad, see how he's doing or maybe go on my own." she told him and he nodded, still worried about her.

* * *

**Cutter's 4x4 Pick Up-Truck **

Stephen was driving in the truck and Valerie sat in the passenger's seat. The two of them sat in silence. That's how Stephen wanted it, he didn't want any talking because he felt a bit strange doing this.

" When you catch this animal... what will you do to it?" Valerie asked, and even though Stephen didn't show it, he really didn't want Valerie to bring this up, so he just gave an answer.

" I don't know." he answered.

" Kill it, I suppose." Valerie guessed.

He kept his eyes on the path. " Well, I hope not." he said.

" Tell me something. Why the secrecy? No police, no press. Why is this such a special case?" she questioned.

He looked over at her and then back at the road. He wanted to tell her, but he couldn't.

" I can't talk about it, I'm sorry, Valerie."

She just sighed and then smiled a friendly smile at him. " Mystery man." she said.

He then gave a dry chuckle and it quickly died. " That's me." he said.

The two sat in silence. " Look, Valerie, I'd loved to tell you more. I mean there are things are happening. Things... we're trying to keep under control. " he told her.

" Things you've done, you mean?"

" I can't-I can't say anymore." he finished and they drove in silence once again.

* * *

**Blue Sky Park's Train Station **

Peter Campbell walked along the path to the Train Station. He was now wearing a suit. He sighed and looked down at his watch and then continued walking. He stopped when he heard a rustling in the bushes.

Every time he walked the rustling followed him and then he quickened his pace, and then he started running along the trains tracks looking over his shoulder when he did.

Peter then entered a room and then closed the door behind him, he walked over to a Jukebox and then pushed it against the door and then sighed. Music then started playing from the jukebox.

Peter was sweating as he backed away from the radio and over to another door. Two large paws were then pressed against the window of the door, that Peter didn't see.

The paws quickly left the door and the man sighed. Then suddenly a creature burst through the door. It was a large cat, With Sabre teeth. Peter then screamed and then ran out of the room.

Peter then ran over to a post with a speaker on it and pressed a button. " Help me. Please." he breathed, then the creature came out of the door growling over at Peter.

A man on a bridge, he had a camera and then got up, seeing the creature with wide eyes.

" Oh my god!" Peter yelled and then started running away, and then the creature chased after him.

* * *

**Cutter's 4x4 Pick-Up Truck **

" What was that?" Stephen asked as they heard a scream. The two looked out the window. Stephen then quickly stopped the car and then looked over at Valerie.

" Stay here." he whispered.

* * *

**Train Station **

The man was still taking pictures of the creature. Peter was then suddenly attacked by it, his screams of pain disappearing. Stephen then came into view with a gun in his hand as he lifted it up and aimed for the creature as it ate Peter.

He was about to shoot when he heard a voice yell. " Stephen!" It was Valerie.

Stephen lowered his gun as he saw the creature run away and then he turned back and then quietly ran over to Valerie, pressing a finger to his lips as he ran over to her.

" I told you to stay in the car." Stephen whispered.

" Is it here?" Valerie asked, fear in her voice.

Stephen stayed silent and then looked over his shoulder when he heard a roar. He then pulled out his keys. " Just go back to the car, drive yourself home." he whispered to her.

She shook her head. " Please. Don't leave me alone." she whispered in fear.

Stephen looked at her and then heard another roar. He then put a hand on her back. " Come on." he whispered and they started walking back to the tuck. He looked over his shoulder when he heard another roar.

* * *

Ashley, Cutter, and Connor were now in a room in the Train Station. They got a call from Jenny saying that the creature has killed again. Cutter and Ashley left to go and meet up with Abby and Connor, before they took Connor and headed back towards the train station. They were in a room in the train station, with the man had taken pictures of the creature attack.

They had taken the film off of him and uploaded it to Connor's laptop.

" Can you make it any clearer?" Ashley asked as she sat on a box. She was in the middle of Connor and her father.

" I'm working on it." Connor said with a sigh.

" You have no right to hold me here or confiscate my pictures." the man who took the pictures said. Ashley and Jenny turned to face him.

" You want to help don't you? A man has just been killed." Ashley stating, feeling a bit dizzy. She was worried about Stephen and Valerie now. _Maybe I should have gone with them... _she thought. This creature was very dangerous.

She then went back facing the laptop.

" Yeah, I know. I saw it. Unbelievable. That creature..." the man trailed off as Jenny spoke up.

" Well, listen. No one knows for sure exactly what happened yet." Jenny said, trying to think of a cover story.

" Are you being serious? It's all in the photographs. This is going to make me a fortune." the man said.

" The pictures are classified. We'll need your SD card." Jenny stated holding out her hand.

" This is a four-disk ultra fast." the man said holding onto his camera.

Jenny sighed and then moved forward slightly to him, smiling. " How can I make your life better?" she suddenly asked. Ashley, Cutter, and Connor shared some looks and Ashley bit her lip from laughing at the two men's expressions.

" I'm sorry?" the man asked, clearly confused.

" Kenny, is it?" Jenny asked, placing her hands on his chest.

" Yeah." Kenny nodded.

" Kenny, I used to be a train spotter. I come from a long-line of them. Wonderful hobby, isn't it?" Jenny said, smiling at him. Ashley looked over at her father and the look on his face made her bit her lip harder from laughing.

" Well, it's more than just a hobby." Kenny said, taking his hat off.

" Of course. I understand every man had his... _passion. _Listen, if you could just, um... help me out, and I will get you a VIP access to the train depot of your choice." Jenny said.

" You can do that?" Kenny asked in disbelief.

" You'd be amazed at what I could do."

" I wanna see the UFM160 track inspection vehicle." Kenny stated.

" Done." Jenny said. Kenny then handed her his SD card.

" Thank you. You can go now." Jenny said and he walked away.

As soon as he left Jenny turned to Cutter, a grin on her face. " You're a real piece of work, aren't you?" Cutter asked, a smile on his face.

" Thank you. I'll take that as a compliment." Jenny smiled at him.

Connor then looked at the screen with wide eyes. " Guys, I think we might have a problem." Connor stated. Ashley looked at the screen and then froze at the creature she saw.

" It's... a Smilodon. Better known as Sabre-toothed cat. Fast. They're elegant. It's a real natural born.. killer." Ashley stated after finding her breath as she stared at the screen.

" Wow." Cutter muttered and then handed the SD card back to Jenny.

* * *

**Valerie's House **

Stephen pulled up to Valerie's house, just wanting to look for the creature so no more people would get attacked. Valerie then opened the door, and got out and then faced Stephen.

" Please tell me what's going on, Stephen. I know you want to." Valerie said.

" Look, we're the good guys, Valerie. At least I think we are." Stephen said to her and Valerie gave a smile.

" Just go inside and get some sleep." Stephen told her. She nodded and then shut the door and went into her house and smiled at Stephen before closing the door and he drove off.

* * *

**Stephen and Ashley's Flat **

Ashley sighed as she pulled her hair into a high pony tail. She couldn't go to sleep. She wanted to. But she couldn't, knowing that there was a Smilodon on the loose around a park.

She jumped when she heard the door open to the flat. She then ran to the main room and sighed in relief when it was Stephen. She then ran up to him and hugged him.

" Thank god you're OK." she said as she let go.

" You too. What's wrong?" he asked.

She sighed. " We just discovered the creature, but I'll tell you in the morning, you should go to sleep." Ashley said, feeling her eyes turn heavy as she shook a bit.

" It'll be OK. We'll catch it." he said as she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling her eyes close and then blackness.

" Ashley? Ashley." Stephen whispered, but she was fast asleep. He smiled and then picked her up bridal style and then carried her to her bedroom and then looked back down at her. She seemed really scared, he'd never seen her so scared of a creature since the Future Predator.

He sighed as he put her in bed and then decided he would go next to her. He climbed in her bed as she turned around, snuggling her head into his chest as he wrapped an arm around her.

* * *

**Blue Sky Park **

The next day at Blue Sky Park, Ashley, Cutter, Abby, and Stephen were going over plans onto where to leave the traps around the park so they could catch the creature. They were sitting on a wooden bench, two large maps in front of them. Abby walked towards them as Stephen pointed to somewhere on the map.

Ashley looked over the map. She had her hair down, a grey tank top dress shirt with a shirt pocket on it, tight black trousers, a thick leather brown bracelet on her right wrist, and some black combat boots.

" There." Stephen said, pointing to somewhere on the map and then turned to Ashley and Cutter. " If we lay a second trap there, we got the whole area covered." Ashley nodded, understanding.

" OK. Take Connor with you." Cutter said to Stephen as he moved to get up. They all turned around when they heard a car door close. They saw Valerie walking towards them.

" Hey, got it fixed?" Ashley asked looking over at Valerie.

" What?" Valerie asked in confusion. Ashley arched an eye brow, _How could she have forgotten that her van had broken down when it happened last night? _Ashley thought. Was the Deputy Park Manager hiding something?

" The van." Ashley stated.

" It seems OK now. What are you doing here?" Valerie asked quickly as if she was hiding something that she didn't want to say.

" We're just working out where to lay traps." Cutter explained. Ashley then grew curious at the look on Valerie's face. She knew more than she was letting on.

" No, don't worry. We'll leave the place looking as good as new." Cutter added.

Valerie then seemed a little nervous. " Surely you should be looking by the railway." Valerie said.

" No. It's won't stay there, too many people." Ashley finished.

Valerie stared at them for a bit and then turned away. Ashley watched her go, thoughts running through her head. She then watched as her boyfriend ran over to Valerie.

" Whoa. Whoa. Valerie. Valerie. What's wrong?" Stephen asked after he stopped running after her. She then looked up at Stephen.

" This shouldn't be happening. None of it!" was Valerie's reply. She then moved past Stephen and then went over to her van. Stephen then turned to Cutter and Ashley.

" Let her go." Cutter said and Stephen walked forward to them. " She's been through quit a lot." Cutter added.

* * *

Later in the woods, Abby was operating the crane, while Cutter and Ashley passed with a pile of very long sticks. Ashley looked up at Abby, and Abby grinned over at her. The younger woman seemed to be having fun driving the crane. Connor placed a piece of frozen meat on one of the traps, it was a lure for the Smilodon. Abby then dug some more mud out of the ground.

Ashley then turned around and then something caught her eye. And her father's two. They both knelt down just to see a hand sticking out of the mud. Ashley then stood up and looked over at Abby.

" Abby! Whoa! Whoa! Stop! Stop digging." Ashley called over to the younger woman, who stopped and then shut off the machine. Ashley and Cutter then looked back at the hand and then stood up. Growling was heard from around them. Ashley and then turned around to see the Smilodon racing towards her and her father.

She felt her eyes grow wide and then looked down at a large hole in the mud, she quickly pushed her dad in and then jumped in herself. The creature growled at them and then tried to reach out for them, but they kept ducking.

" Hey! OI!" Abby yelled as Ashley heard a rumbling sound above her. She started the crane back up. The creature stopped trying to reach them and then started attacking the crane.

" Abby!" Ashley and Cutter yelled as they got out from the hole. When they came up Abby hit the creature in the side with the crane. Cutter then started running and Ashley looked over at him.

" Hey! Hey, come on!" Cutter yelled as the Smilodon looked over at him and roared. Cutter then started running towards the edge of the woods some more and out of the clearing. " Come on, come on!" Cutter yelled again and then the Smilodon went after him.

" Dad!" Ashley yelled. Abby then quickly climbed out of the crane and Ashley sighed, knowing what the two had to do, she quickly stormed over to the Truck and started getting their guns out.

" Great. Just great." Ashley muttered as she and Abby then ran over to where her father started running, the two of them not even bothering to explain what happened to the boys.

* * *

Cutter quickly started running to anywhere and then he found a tree with a ladder attached to it. He then started to climb the ladder as quickly as he could, the Smilodon was right behind him and it sank it's claws in the tree and then started climbing it after Cutter. But it couldn't climb up the tree so it just roared at Cutter.

Right now, Cutter was on a small platform and a long Zip-line was in front of him. He started thinking fast and then got his belt and then threw it over the rope and held onto his belt as if he was going to Zip-Line with it.

And that's what he did. He then started to Zip-line, looking down at the trees beneath him that were shaking and heard growls from the creature as he went as fast as he could.

He didn't see Abby and Ashley come out of the trees.

Cutter then landed on another platform, he fell to the ground as the Smilodon came racing towards him. Then suddenly, two tranquilizer darts came as two guns were fired. Ashley and Abby had fired their guns. It scared the creature and made it look up, but it quickly jumped over Cutter, disappearing into the trees.

Ashley and Cutter looked at each other and she sighed in relief. He was OK. She then glared over at him for making her worry about him... again.

Once they made it back to the car Abby explained what had happened to Stephen and Connor, while Cutter and Ashley were in the woods again as they started pulling out bits of mud as they tried to get the body. Ashley was a bit hesitant when she was pulling out the chunks.

* * *

After Ashley and Cutter were out of the hole they were off to go meet Stephen and the others. Leek was also coming from the ARC because they had found the dead body. Ashley brushed some mud out of her face as she and her father saw Stephen, Connor, Abby, and Leek walking towards them.

" Savaged. He's virtually cut in half." Cutter explained to them.

" How long's he been here?" Abby asked.

" We don't know, about a week, a month." Cutter answered her, though not sure.

" If the body's been there that long then the anomaly could have formed before the detector came online. Which would mean there's nothing wrong with it, guys." Connor explained.

" Yeah, well, there's one problem. The Sabre-Tooth may have killed a guy, but it sure as hell didn't dig a trench 10 feet deep and bury his body." Ashley interjected.

" Someone knows. Someone's been protecting it." Abby said, and they all nodded.

" West." Leek suddenly offered.

Ashley and Cutter looked up at him. " What?" they asked.

" Jenny needed someone to pin an escape lion story onto and she said this man, West, fitted the ball. She wanted to create a cover story for the press." Leek explained to them. Ashley then clenched her hands. Great. " She left about an hour ago." Leek added.

" Better stay here in case it comes back." Stephen said to Cutter as he ran back towards the truck.

" No, go with him. I'll be fine." Cutter said to Ashley, Abby, and Connor.

" Yeah." Connor said as Abby and Connor started running after Stephen. Ashley looked over at her father and he nodded his head, seeing that she was hesitant and pushed her forward.

Ashley then started running over to the truck and slid into the front seat, beside Stephen as Connor and Abby sat in the back. Stephen started the engine, and they started heading towards West's Farm.

* * *

**West Farm **

Jenny was standing in front of Mr. West in his barn. She had already told him about the story that she needed and he was trying to fit the puzzles all together as she did.

" So you want me to tell the police that I've been keeping a Lion in here?" West asked.

" I need someone to blame Mr. West, and I'm afraid you're my only candidate." Jenny said.

He then sighed and folded his arms. " No. I won't be stitched up." West argued.

" Oh! I'm sorry, did I make a mistake? You mean you're not breeding dogs to fight them?" Jenny asked.

West looked over at the dogs and back at Jenny, backing away slightly.

" Admit the lion was yours and I'll give you a few days to get rid of the dogs before I call the police. Deal?" Jenny finally said.

West shook his head and turned his back to Jenny. " I'm sick of you people. Always arresting me, taking away my life." West started to say and then grabbed something as Jenny rolled her eyes.

And then, when West turned around he held a gun and Jenny gasped, her eyes wide. " OK. Put the gun down, we both know you're not a violent man." Jenny said finding her breath as she started backing away.

West then shot the gun onto the ground which started making the dogs bark.

" I won't be pushed around anymore!" West said, holding the gun back at her.

" Mr. West-" Jenny tried to reason but he forcefully grabbed her arm and pulled her inside the barn.

" Get in!" he yelled and threw her on a pile of hay that was inside the barn. West held his shot gun, towering over her as if he was going to shoot her.

" Give me the gun." came Stephen's voice, making Mr. West turn around. Stephen, Abby, and Ashley were holding pistols and aiming it at West. Connor didn't have a weapon so he grabbed a shovel.

West then backed away from Jenny and Stephen now had the shot gun, making Ashley and Abby lower their guns. They all could see the look of reveal on Jenny's face.

" Are you OK?" Abby asked, looking at Jenny who sighed.

" I'm fine. You should have shot him, though. It's my best coat." Jenny said, standing up and and walking out of the barn.

Ashley rolled her eyes. " Oh no." she muttered sarcastically and then turned her attention back to West.

" Sabre-tooth, is it here?" Abby asked.

" Sabre-tooth? What are you on about?" Mr. West asked them.

Ashley, Connor, Abby, and Stephen shared some looks and then sighed, and then left the barn and over towards Jenny. Connor now had the empty shot gun, he and Abby were trailing behind Ashley, Stephen, and Jenny.

" Well, if West is acting then he deserves an Oscar. He has no idea what we're talking about." Stephen said as he, Ashley, and Jenny started walking back to the truck.

" Well if he didn't bury the body, then who did?" Jenny asked. Ashley bit her lip... she sure had an idea.

As they started walking back to the truck, Connor smiled as he held the shot gun. " Happy now?" Abby asked him.

Connor nodded. " Oh yeah."

* * *

**The Woods **

Cutter was still pulling outs the bits of mud to uncover the dead body from the mud. As he pulled some out he felt something odd in the mud and then pulled it out, it was all covered in mud and he looked down at it, curious.

It was a wallet.

He felt his eyes widen when he opened it. There, right in front of him, was a picture of a man smiling with his girlfriend. Valerie.

All the pieces were fitting together, Valerie was the one...

" Valerie." Cutter said as he closed the wallet and then looked up, his eyes still wide.

* * *

**Valerie's House**

Valerie entered a dark room slowly, with a black trash bag that held something in it. She then closed the door behind her. " Shh...it's alright. It's alright." she said in a comforting voice as she walked closer into the room and then turned on a light.

On a platform, there was the Smilodon, licking its paw. It looked over at Valerie and then got down from it as it could smell meat. " I won't let them hurt you." Valerie added as she walked over to a bucket and then put a piece of meat in it.

The Smilodon then started eating the meat as Valerie existed the room.

* * *

Cutter was in front of Valerie's house and held a shot gun in his hand. He looked over at the house and then opened the door slowly. " Valerie?" Cutter called, but got no answer.

" Hello?" he called again, and still got no answer as he fully stepped into the house. He found a stair case and then stopped at the first step on the bottom. He looked over at the whole stairway.

" Valerie?" he tried again, and still got no answer. Cutter walked up the rest of the stairs, looking around the house.

He was in a room, which seemed like a bedroom, it was probably Valeria's Room. He kept looking around for something, or any sign that she was here. Cutter set his shot gun down on a desk.

His eyes then stopped a picture that was framed on a small table. He then picked it up and his eyes widen slightly. There was a picture of Valerie, and she was holding the baby Smilodon.

Cutter then got out his mobile and dialed Ashley's number, quickly.

* * *

**Cutter's 4x4 Pick-Up Truck **

On their way back to the park, Ashley was in the passenger's seat next to Stephen, and then suddenly her mobile started ringing. She quickly got it out and then put it on speaker for everyone to hear.

_" Ashley. It's Valerie, she's been hiding the Sabre-tooth. I'm at her house. We got to find it, fast." _came her father's voice and Ashley felt her eyes widen. She then hung up after he was done and looked at the team.

Stephen's made the truck go a bit faster, and as they were coming from the second road, a forest green van sped past them. Ashley felt her skin pale at the van. " That's Valerie's car." Stephen said as he turned to follow the van.

" Where's she going?" Abby asked from the back seat with Connor and Jenny.

" Maybe she's letting the Sabre-tooth loose somewhere." Connor offered quickly.

Ashley then growled under her breath. _Not if I can help it. _Ashley thought and then Stephen's voice came as he he read her mind. " Not if I can help it. Hold on." Stephen commanded.

He then pushed the accelerate peddle down to make the truck go faster.

The truck was chasing Valerie's van and after a few minutes the van stopped as did Stephen. Ashley then forcefully grabbed her Pistol, growling under her breath once again.

Everyone got out holding their guns out. Stephen then walked over to the back door and then slowly opened it, and then they all held their guns as they expected the Smilodon. But all that came out was a dog.

Ashley, Abby, and Stephen stormed up the front of the van, pointing their Pistols at a man in the van. So... it wasn't Valerie. He held his hands up in surrender and looked at Stephen.

" Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don't shoot me!" he exclaimed.

" Where's Valerie?" Stephen asked, getting right to the point.

" She said the clutch needed fixing!" he answered.

Ashley then lowered her gun and felt her skin pale even more. That meant that she was still at the house. With the Sabre-tooth. And her father. They got in the car and Ashley was too worried about her father to speak as she kept playing with her fingers. She just prayed that he was OK.

* * *

**Valerie's House **

Cutter had just come back from the phone call from Valerie's porch and then entered her room once again. And when he turned around, his eyes widen at what was in front of him.

It was Valerie.

Holding the shot gun he had brought in.

He gave a small smile. " You gave me a fright there." he said, trying to lighten it up, but in the back of his head he knew that Valerie didn't want any jokes at all.

She stayed silent.

" Valerie, what are you doing?" Cutter asked her, in a father-like way. The way he talks to Ashley when she really needs someone.

" What am I doing? What about you? Don't tell me you're not responsible for all this. " Valerie said. She felt tears well in her eyes, and she tried to hold them back as best as she could.

" What?" Cutter asked, still in a gentle way.

He could now see the tears welling up in Valerie's eyes. " You people, with all your mysterious and secrets. I knew who you were from the first minute. You created him in some kind of ... horrible... genetic experiment, didn't you?" she then took a breath, feeling more tears as she talked about the Smilodon. " He escaped and now you've come to take him back."

Cutter shook his head.

" Well I won't let you!" Valerie said, and anyone could see her hands shaking as she held the gun.

" No, that's not how it is." Cutter said, shaking his head and telling her gently.

More tears welled in her brown eyes. " Please don't lie to me! I'm not stupid." she said, a small tear falling from her face.

She then took a deep breath. " I'm going to take him somewhere safe and tell everyone what you've done." she added.

" But what are you gonna say?" Cutter asked in a gentle voice. " That you buried your boyfriend after your pet killed him." Cutter asked, although he sounded more like a statement.

More tears in her eyes. " That was an accident. Dave got careless, he didn't know how to handle him." she said.

" And you do?"

" He trusts me. I'm the closet thing to a mother he's ever had. I went into my garage one day, and he was just some how... magically there. A tiny cub. Frightened, alone. Half dead. I had to look after him." Valerie said, explaining what happened in the past as Cutter listened patiently.

" I can understand that, and you've done very well with Valerie. But you _have _to give him up, now."

She took quiet, shaky breaths. She felt angry. " So you could torture him? But, of course, you don't call it that, do you? You call it _research_."

He shook his head once more, in a comforting tone. " No, no, no, no. That's not what's going on." Cutter explained.

" Do you think I can't see how _special _he is? How unusual. You created him, and now you want to destroy him!" she said with a shaky voice.

" I care about that animal as much as you do, but he doesn't belong here and you can't help him, but I can." Cutter said and as he said that Valerie kept on shaking her head at him.

" You don't care about him, if you did you'd tell the truth." she told him.

" I'm telling you the truth." Cutter interjected, still being very patient with the young woman.

She stopped talking.

" You have to trust me Valerie. " he told her gently and then started walking closer to her, but she closed her eyes and then shot the gun and a tranq dart flew onto the wall as she cried, silently.

" It's OK. It's OK. It's OK. Now come on, help me." Cutter told her gently, still spooked when she fired the shot gun.

She stood in silence.

" Please." he added in a soft voice.

Valerie quickly shook her head, a small shake of her head. " It's too late... I'm sorry." she whispered. Valerie then started backing away, and sniffed and backed up to a door. " I didn't want any of this to happen. But I can't abandon him now." she told him.

Cutter looked at Valerie with wide eyes as she waited at the door, he felt his heart pound at the sound of a low growl. He backed away and his eyes widen more as he saw the Smilodon, looking straight at him.

" No." he swallowed. " If he kills me... probably gonna kill you too."

The creature's ears lowered as it continued growling. Valerie shook her head. " He'd never hurt me." she finally said and then the creature started going over to Cutter, and the Professor never thought he'd try to get out of a Sabre-tooth attacking him... again.

He grabbed a small desk and held it up as the creature started clawing at him, he used it as a shield as Valerie watched and then quietly existed the room and closed the doors and walked away.

Cutter then entered another room as the Smilodon clawed the door, roaring. He used a large dresser to try and hold the door so it wouldn't get in. He panicked as he couldn't find a place to escape, Cutter found a door and opened it and found himself in a small hall filled with doors, but they were all locked.

He found one door that was opened and then entered it, pressing his back against it and then fell to the ground as the creature slammed into the door, opening it. Cutter got up and then grabbed a lamp and looked at the angry creature.

Instead of using the top of the lamp, he used the bottom because it had an electric charge. He then zapped the creature, but it just angrier and ignored it. Cutter threw the lamp on the bed and entered another room and grabbed a can of some kind of spray.

The Smilodon then started breaking through a window which had blinds. Cutter spun around and then sprayed the creature and it backed away, it's eyes stinging.

Cutter then went down to another porch and looked around, and then stopped when he saw the Smilodon growling at him from another porch and he knew it was going to jump. The Professor looked down at the edge of the porch and then started going over it as the Smilodon jumped from the porch to the porch Cutter was leaving.

He was now hanging on it as the Smilodon looked down at him. Cutter let go of the porch that he was holding and then landed on the dirt and then quickly got up, his eyes finding a wagon with shovels, racks, etc. and then limped to the wagon and pulled out a rack as he turned to see the creature in front of him.

Cutter was going to attack it, but then Valerie came running towards them. " Don't hurt him!" she shouted as she started running over to the two of them. He looked over at her, and then back at the Smilodon.

" No, Valerie! Valerie! Stay away! Stay AWAY!" He yelled at her, but she stopped beside the Smilodon.

" Please!" she said to Cutter, and then turned to the creature that was growling. " You're safe with me. Safe." she said holding out a hand, but then the creature turned on her, attacking her.

" VALERIE!" He yelled as he charged towards the Sabre-tooth and then suddenly a tranquilizer dart came flying and hit the Smilodon, and it fell to the ground. He looked over to see Ashley holding a shot gun.

Ashley and Stephen started running over to him as Ashley stopped in her tracks, turning away as she saw the dead body of Valerie Irwin. She had been ripped to shreds. Ashley shook her head, Valerie shouldn't have died this way. Even though she was keeping the Sabre-tooth, she shouldn't have died that way.

Cutter knelt down to Valerie's body and rested his forehead against the rack. Ashley kept shaking her head, as she took a shaky breathed.

" This shouldn't happened. We could've saved her.." Stephen breathed.

" Tried." Cutter breathed, looking at Valerie.

" How many more Valerie's is there gonna be before we just start telling people what's going on?" Stephen asked, kneeling down so he was level with Cutter. Ashley looked over at the two men, dropped her gun and took another shaking breath, she could just feel her body shaking at the sight.

" You said something to her. Something that made her think we were to blame." Cutter said after a second of silence. Ashley looked over at Stephen, confused and concerned.

" No. I didn't say anything." Stephen said quickly. " But I wish I had." he added, getting up and walking away. Ashley turned around and watched him leave.

* * *

**The ARC **

Cutter was in one of the rooms, thinking about the whole day. The uncover. The Smilodon... Valerie. He looked up and watched Ashley sit on a table as Connor was doing something, she looked as if she couldn't forget about what happened.

Leek then walked in, and Cutter turned his head to look at the annoying little man. He then took a deep breath and looked at Cutter. " Sadly the creature died, while being transported back to the ARC." Leek said.

Cutter looked at him slowly, something deadly shinning in his eyes. Dead? No, no, Valerie took great care of that animal. " Um, heart attack. Probably injuiced by shock." Leek added.

Cutter took a breath. " What? How is that possible? It was a perfectly healthy animal." he breathed.

" I know, I know. Maybe-maybe Ashley over estimated the tranquilizer dosage." Leek offered, but as he said that the Professor shook his head quickly, not liking the fact that he brought Ashley into it.

" Don't-don't-don't-don't-don't you dare. My daughter knows _exactly _what she's doing." Cutter said, glaring at the man.

" I mean-" Leek started, but Cutter stopped him.

" I want to do my own autopsy." Cutter said to Leek who seemed suddenly nervous.

" Well, um, the creature's been destroyed." Leek said and Cutter stopped, his eyes widen and his mouth slightly open.

" I.. I mean we have to be aware of the risk of disease, sorry." Leek added.

Cutter still stared at the man as he took a deep breath and started fiddling with his tie.

" Now, if you forgive me, I'm gonna-I'm gonna go home, um, this total experience had been totally exhausting for me." Leek said, still fiddling with hie tie and then left the room.

* * *

Ashley looked over at Connor as he checked the ADD, and she turned around when the doors opened behind her to see her father. She then gave him a small smile.

" Right, that is it. This machine is officially double-triple-checked." Connor announced, sliding from underneath and looking up at Cutter and Ashley.

Then, suddenly, the alarm beeped over their head, red lights flashing. Ashley looked at her father with hopeful eyes, and then over at Connor.

" Demonstrations prove nothing, Connor." Jenny called, descending the ramp.

" It's not a demonstration. That's a real anomaly! Yes! It's working! It's actually working!" Connor smiled, turning to face the screens of the ADD. Ashley laughed kindly, she was so pleased that her friend's machine was working. And all his hard work payed off.

" Alright. Well, what are we doing standing around here for?" Cutter asked.

" That's a good point." Ashley giggled as she went over to follow her father, and he could see that she was trying not to smile.

" Lets go." Cutter called as he and Ashley started walking towards the doors.

" Oh no, I can't. I've got a date with Caroline." Connor said, stopping in his tracks. Ashley and Cutter then spun around.

" Yeah. Is she pretty?" Cutter asked, putting on his jacket.

" Yeah." Connor nodded.

" Bummer." Cutter said as he left. Ashley then laughed again and looked over at Connor, and smiled as he followed them, talking to Ashley about how amazing it was that the ADD was working.

She couldn't agree more.

* * *

In a car, outside of the ARC, a figure walked towards the car as she held a purse. She then opened the car door and sat down in the driver's seat and looked over at the figure next to her.

It was Leek. And the other figure was Caroline.

They sat in silence as he handed her a envelope with a huge amount of quid in it. " Your payment." he said as she took the envelope and opened it and looked at the money.

" I think you'll find it's all there." Leek added at her. She licked her lips.

" It's not enough." she said, putting the money back in the envelope.

He looked back at her. " It's what we agreed." he said to her.

She rolled her eyes. " You haven't got the little creep Connor trying to put his tongue in your mouth." Caroline said.

Leek shook his head. " Sometimes you have take one for the team, but what's it's worth you have my sympathy." he told her.

She rolled her eyes once again. " He's OK, I suppose."

" Stay close to him and find out anything you can." he ordered.

" What's this all about anyway?" Caroline asked, but Leek stayed silent.

" It's none of my business. I get it." and then got out of the car, but didn't close the door as she looked over at him. " I'll stay in touch." she said, and with that she left.

* * *

**WOW! I'm so happy how this one came out! I enjoyed writing it, and I would just like to thank a new writer on Fanfiction, and her name is Primeval is the Best she's awesome! And please review! And I will see you all next Friday!**

**- Love and HeartBreak21**


	6. Episode 4: The Mer Creature

**Primeval Season 2 **

**Episode 4 **

* * *

An 18-year-old boy, named Lucien Hope, was on a Basketball court with his friends, in the Isle of Dogs. Unknown to the group of boys, an underwater anomaly just opened.

Back at the basketball court, Lucien threw the ball, but one of his friends hit the ball out of the court. " Hey Lucien, you fumbled the ball, man. Go get it." one of his friends said to him, laughing.

" Yeah, yeah right." Lucien nodded, laughing slightly. He then jumped over the railing to grab the ball that was on the other side. As he crossed the track and stepped onto the grass, he looked down just to see green grass squelched under his shoes. " Oh, man!" he muttered. He looked back up and then saw that the ball had landed in an open man hole.

Walking over to the man hole that wasn't that far away, Lucien then grabbed the ball out of the manhole and then turned back towards his friends that were now playing with a different basketball, and as he was walking. Suddenly, he was now laying on the ground being pulled back towards the man hole.

" Help! Someone!" he yelled for his friends, doing the only thing he could think of.

One of his friends was curious why Lucien hadn't returned, so he looked over at the man hole and saw Lucien. " What's that idiot doing?" he asked to himself, he sighed and walked towards his friends.

As he did that, Lucien was still being pulled into the man hole by something that was under that water. " Help! Someone! Help, someone!" he screamed one last time, but got no help.

Then, he was pulled down all together, leaving one of his shoes, floating on top of the man hole.

* * *

**The ARC **

At the ARC, a man was sitting in front of the ADD. Suddenly, the alarm went off, making the main room of the ARC burst into red, the loud noise ringing through everyone's ears.

Oliver Leek burst through the two main doors of the ARC, jogging over to the man who was in front of the ADD screens, and was typing some keys on the keyboard.

" OK, where is it?" Leek asked, finding his breath, still looking at the screen.

" I'm finding the location now." the man answered, and the screen started doing it's job. It started locating where the anomaly was, as the noise was still going on and the screens said in large, red letters:

**'ANOMALY DETECTED' **

Leek looked confused as he stared at where the screen located. " In the river?" he asked.

The man didn't look up at him as he stared at the screen, and the keyboard. " Still trying to get the exact coordinates." the man answered quickly. Suddenly as it was going to show where the anomaly was, the machine made a strange noise and the object that showed where the anomaly was, shut off.

Leek looked at the screen, surprised, confused, and annoyed. " What's happened?" he asked as two soldiers came from the double doors and walked off somewhere.

" The anomaly must have closed." the man answered Leek.

Leek looked down at the man in the chair. " Well, did you get the exact locations?" he questioned quickly.

" We didn't have enough time to-" the man started but stopped when Leek pounded his fist against the small table were the laptop was and pointed to a stack of papers.

" Give me the coordinates." he demanded, as the man took a piece of paper and then Leek grabbed it out of his hands, his eyes scanning the paper, quickly. Where could the anomaly have gone? And where was the creature?

* * *

**Connor and Abby's Flat **

Caroline Steel walked out of the kitchen of Abby Maitland and Connor Temple's flat. She held a small tray of some food that she cooked for Connor, who sat at the table looking through a book.

She looked over at Abby who had one a grey tank-top, sweat pants, socks, and some sleeveless gloves and was focused on hitting a large punching bag. Caroline looked over at the two and then over to a table and seat the pan of food down, and looked to see Connor's mobile. She then looked down, there was a call from someone.

Caroline bit her lip as she quickly turned off his mobile. She then looked over at Abby, who was still punching the bag. Abby felt someone's eyes on her and then knew it was Caroline.

She sighed, but didn't face the other woman. " You want something Caroline?" Abby asked.

" Nothing." she answered, with a smile on her face.

Abby then finally turned to her, a fake smile on her face. " Good." she said simply and then turned back to her position to hit the punching bag, but as she was going too, Caroline stopped her.

" It's just... I noticed you do a lot of scissor kicks, and scissor kicks aren't going to be enough to disable your opponent." Caroline stated, that state made Connor looked up from his book and look at Abby and his girlfriend.

" Really you should be looking to catch them- 'cuse me." Caroline said as she walked up the small stairs to where Abby was, and moved Abby politely out of the way and stood in front of the punching bag. " Really you should be looking to catch them in the throat area... like... " she trailed off and then spun around and did a kick on the punching bag.

" That." she finished, looking at Abby.

Connor from the other side, looked at Caroline with amazement in his eyes and in his face. Abby looked even interested as well, and she never usually is that interested in Caroline.

" Your way he gets a few bruises, but mine- he's choking on the floor." Caroline smiled at Abby, as she gave her tips on the fighting. " Yeah?" Caroline asked, a smile still on her face.

" Yeah." Abby said, in a small voice.

Caroline nodded her head. " Good." she smiled and then walked down the small stairs and over to the table where she put the tray of food, and then walked over to another smaller table and placed it, where some more food was.

" Dinner is served." Caroline said, smiling over at Connor as he looked away from his book and then turned to the table and smiled as she held out her hands to show him her dinner that she made.

" That's... wow." he said, loving the look of the dinner because he was lost for words. Caroline giggled and then sat on one side of the table as Connor stood in front of her, looking at the dinner. " Amazing. Is that all for me?" he finished.

Caroline smiled. " Yeah, You and..." Caroline answered, and then motioned over to Abby who was getting ready to punch the bag again. As she was about to, her mobile beeped and she breathed through her nose.

" Where to start?" Connor asked, as he sat down looking at the dinner as Caroline laughed kindly. Abby looked over at the two, feeling a bit jealous of them, but quickly pushed that thought away.

" It's Cutter." she explained, looking at Connor.

" Huh?" he asked, still looking at the food.

" He's been calling you." Abby stated as she didn't see Caroline opened her mouth.

Connor shook his head. " No, I had no call come through." Connor said.

As he did that, Abby was putting on a white, short-sleeved, off-the-shoulder shirt as she sighed in annoyance. " You must have." she said, annoyance clearly in her voice.

" Abby, I think I know if Cutter was calling me because it-oh." Connor said, as he pulled out his mobile and then looked at the screen to see Cutter's number come up about 5 times.

" Connor. We've gotta go." Abby said, grabbing her jacket and then headed down the stairs to get in the car. Connor looked over at Abby as she started heading towards the stairs.

" Could have sworn this was swished on." Connor said.

" What could possibly be so important that you have to just leave everything?" Caroline asked, curious. Connor then looked over at his girlfriend, he liked her a lot, but he never liked when she always asked this question.

" Turn the lights out when you leave!" Abby called, as she walked down the stairs.

" I liked to stay-" Connor started, but Abby's voice cut him off.

" Connor!" Abby called and Connor sighed at the stairs and then turned back to his girlfriend.

" Sorry Caroline." he said and then got up from the seat, grabbed his jacket and mobile, and then headed down the stairs and left the flat.

As he left, Caroline watched the two climb in the car and leave the flat. She then sat up and then pulled out her mobile, dialing a number as she walked around the flat, waiting for someone to pick up.

" They just left." Caroline said to the person on the other end.

_" You were suppose to delay them." _came Leek's voice.

" I put them on off as long as I could." Caroline said.

She then shut the mobile and sighed. Then she jumped when Rex was on a counter and made some things fall and chirped. She turned her head around as she stared at the Prehistoric Lizard.

* * *

**Isle of Dogs **

" Boy's name is Lucien Hope. His friends said he seemed to be struggling with something." Jenny Lewis explained.

Ashley Cutter-Handson and her father, Nick Cutter, had just arrived at the sigh of an attack. Stephen Hart and Jenny Lewis came with them. Jenny stood beside the man hole, as Stephen, Ashley, and Cutter investigated it.

Ashley had on a white tank top, a black jacket that stopped at her elbows, dark blue jeans, a small brown belt wrapped around them, and her regular ankle boots. Her brown hair was pulled into a pony tail this time because it was hot outside, a strand of her hair falling her face.

" Did they see anything at all? Ashley asked Jenny.

" No." Jenny answered.

" Maybe he just lost his footing." Stephen offered, trying to think of an explanation.

Ashley bit her lip. _No. That wouldn't make sense. _She thought, as she stared down at the man hole.

" No, this lid's been lifted clean off." Cutter explained to them.

" Water pressure?" Jenny suggested.

" Could be. But the rainfall's been below average for the month and floods don't happen for no reason. Which means..." she trailed off and then sighed in annoyance. " The damn anomaly's under the water." she explained in annoyance.

" Where does this drain go?" Cutter asked, looking up at Jenny.

" Back to the canal." Jenny answered.

" Seal it off and tell Connor and Abby to meet us at the other end." Cutter stated and Jenny nodded her head. Ashley looked over at the man hole, knowing that they were going to go down there.

" Okay." Jenny said, as she walked away from the three.

" Think he's still alive?" Stephen asked, his voice echoing down the man hole.

Cutter looked thoughtful. " I don't know. But I ain't giving up on him until I know for sure." Cutter stated, looking up at Ashley, who was looking back at the drain and then at Stephen.

Ashley raised an eye brow as she saw Stephen and her father grinning at her. She looked confused.

" What?" she asked them, clearly not getting why they were grinning.

" Ladies first." Stephen grinned. The young women blinked rapidly and then glared at the two, Stephen then quickly kissed her cheek.

She sighed. " Idiots." she muttered as she dropped through the drain, Cutter and Stephen right behind her.

* * *

**Drains **

Down in the drains, it was very dark, Stephen and Cutter held torches along with Ashley. They looked around the dark drains. It was silent, the only sound was their footsteps on the wet floor.

Ashley was ahead of the men, but then stopped in her tracks when she heard a noise in the distance. She looked around. " What the hell is that?" she asked over her shoulder.

" Lucien?" Stephen called.

The sound was like a kind of whale song. Ashley felt her body stiffen as she walked forward quietly. " Stephen, it's not human." Cutter said slowly, as they listened to the sound again.

A loud crash sound, snapped Ashley from her search and then spun around to the direction to where the sound came. She quickly started jogging over to it as she held her torch. " Lucien?" she called.

Ashley then quickly climbed through a half-broken door, looking around.

Cutter and Stephen quickly followed her, as they entered another part. The three of them then stopped near an edge. There was a sudden splash as something entered the water. It didn't resurface, though.

Stephen quickly held up a gun before looking over at Cutter, who held onto Ashley's arm, not wanting her to go forward as she stood completely still. They looked around.

" Come on." Cutter finally said, running back out, Stephen and Ashley following. " They can only get out into the canal." he added, as they left the drain and quickly headed for the canal.

Ashley then stopped in her tracks as if she felt something watching them. She then started to turn around and then arched an eye brow, she knew that she shouldn't be doing this, but she was curious.

She gasped when she felt someone grab her wrist, she turned to see Stephen. " Let's go!" he said to her, and she nodded and then started running, his hand still on her wrist as Ashley looked over her shoulder one more time until looking forward again.

And... she was right. There was a shadow, not a creature. But a human.

* * *

**The Canal**

Abby and Connor were walking along the pier, wearing life vests. Abby was walking in front of Connor, as he trailed behind her. She was beginning to get really annoyed because he wouldn't stop bringing up his girlfriend.

" I'm gonna have to say something to Caroline, you know. It's weird just rushing off together all the time." Connor explained from behind her.

" Here's what you can tell her. Stop coming to my flat every five minutes." Abby said to him.

" Our flat." Connor said, Abby then rounded on him, glaring. " Alright, _your _flat." he added.

Next, Connor and Abby were over by a boat putting some supplies in. " Why is she around so much anyway?" Abby asked.

" Don't be naive, Abby. You're looking at the reason, aren't you?" Connor asked, a grin on his face.

Abby looked over at him and rolled her eyes. She then said something about him and Caroline as she walked over to the boat, putting another one of the supplies in it.

" We're taking it slow." Connor said, as he picked up a box.

" Yeah. She is." Abby said, as she and Connor walked passed each other.

Connor then turned to her, glaring. " You know what? You don't know what you're talking about. Why don't you just stay out of it?" Connor snapped at her. Abby looked up at her friend, wide eyed.

He never talked to her like that. " Connor." she said, surprised.

Connor picked up another box, and looked up at her. " No. I don't care what you think, alright?" Connor said.

Abby was about to open her mouth to say something, but stopped when she heard fast footsteps and looked over to see Ashley, Cutter, and Stephen running over to her.

" Abby! Is there anyway out of the Canal?" Cutter asked, as the three stopped running along the pier and looked over at her. Ashley looked over at Abby, she seemed very annoyed about something.

" The locks been closed. It's completely sealed." Abby explained to them, as Jenny came next to Abby with a life vest on.

" Then it's still here." Ashley stated, as she turned to face the water and sighed. She always liked the water, but always hated it when creatures came into the water. It was horrible.

" What is?" Connor asked, snapping Ashley from her thoughts.

" Not sure, but we have to find out fast. It's gonna be dark in a few hours. Jenny, go in that boat with Connor and Abby. You see anything, call us. Lets go." Cutter said, stepping into the first boat. He turned and then watched as his daughter stepped in beside him, Stephen then came in right next to her, gripped her waist.

Ashley then looked around the canal, as Stephen talked to the driver, his hand still on her waist as her father stood in front, looking over through the canal.

* * *

Hours later, darkness came upon them and the group was still out searching for any signs of a creature. The soft moonlight reflected off the surface of the dark water. Ashley was sitting in a small seat in the boat, wrapping her arms around her stomach as she leaned her head against a box.

She was beginning to grow tired, as she tried to keep her eyes open for any signs of the creature. Stephen then looked over at his girlfriend, who was tired and then looked at her father, and he glared slightly.

" We've been searching for hours, we're never gonna see anything in this light." Stephen explained, as Ashley blinked as she felt her eyes go heavy. She quickly sat up and stretched slightly, she hadn't sleep in 4 days.

" What's that over there?" Cutter asked and Ashley snapped over to where her father was looking.

" Where?" she asked, still looking to see something, moving next to her father, fully awake now. Cutter then gripped her shoulders, as she stood in front of him and then moved to where he was looking.

Her eyes squinted, as she tried to get a better look at it. " Can you get us any closer?" Cutter asked, turning to the driver. The boat then started to move towards the object. Ashley grabbed a rod and scooped it up and then brought it back, and held it in her hands for them to get a closer look at it.

" It looks like skin." Stephen said from beside her, that comment made Ashley dropped it. Stephen chuckled, she then rounded him, glared, and punched his arm.

Cutter then picked up the skin that Ashley dropped as Stephen shone a light on it, getting a brighter look.

" Yeah, from a mammal." Cutter explained. They peered at it closer, and then Cutter spoke. " Looks like whatever it is, just shrugged it off." Cutter added, and the three of them wondered what skin it could be from.

* * *

Back at the boat with Jenny, Connor, and Abby they were always looking for the creature. Abby was leaning, and kneeling a light shinning on the water as she looked through it, trying to see something under the water. Jenny and Connor were looking around some more.

Abby then looked over at the two. " Back up, I saw something." she said to Connor.

" Where?" Connor asked, as she looked back down and then back at him.

" That way, port, about 20 metres. " she explained, Connor told the driver to move the boat back. Abby looked up at him and glared at them.

" I said PORT!" she exclaimed, glaring at him.

" This is port!" Connor argued back. He didn't know what got into her.

" Just... go over before it disappears!" she called to him.

Connor rolled his eyes and then faced her. " How am I suppose to tell him which way it is, if you don't know which ways which?" he asked her.

She rolled her eyes and then looked back down at the water, annoyed with Connor.

" Man, I've lost it now!" she argued, looking up at Connor, the two didn't see Jenny become annoyed with the two of them arguing like some little kids over a toy.

" Oh, great, great. Why don't you give me a go?" he asked her.

She glared up at him. " What can you see that I can't?" she asked him, anger and annoyance in her voice.

" Well maybe if you had-" Connor started, and Jenny sighed and then cut him off.

" Oh for heaven's sake, you two are arguing like a couple of kids over a toy!" Jenny yelled at them. " Look, out of the way. I'll do it." she said, moving Connor over and then started walking over to Abby, until something hit the boat and then Jenny fell into the water.

" Jenny!" Abby yelled as Jenny fell into the dark water.

" Jenny?!" Connor called, looking to were she fell in. She didn't come up. The two then started to panic.

Abby shone the light onto the water, for any sign of Jenny at all. " Jenny!" Connor said, looking for the older woman.

" Ohhh! Jenny!?" Abby tried again, panic in her voice.

A few seconds later, Jenny finally came up from the water, breathing for air. Relief was on their faces. " What just happened!?" Jenny asked, still in the water. Connor looked over at her.

" I don't know, we must have hit something!" Connor answered. " Come on, we'll get you out. That's it Jenny, swim! " he said as she started to swim towards the boat. Then Connor fully stood up, his eyes wide as he saw something.

Abby must have saw it too. " Connor?" Abby asked.

" What the hell is that?" Connor asked, as a dark shark-like fin was coming over towards their boat, fast.

His eyes were still on the creature, panic on his face as he stared at the creature coming towards them. " Jenny. You have to get out of the water, quickly!" he told her as she started swimming.

Jenny stopped, confused by what he meant and then turned around and her eyes widen, and her skin paled. She then started going over to the boat, feeling scared and panic on everyone's face.

" Come on, Jenny! You'll be OK, just swim!" Connor told her, just wanting to get his friend out.

" I can't swim!" Jenny cried, as the creature was coming closer.

" Come on, swim Jenny!" Abby tried, as Jenny was trying her hardest to swim as fast as she could go.

Connor looked back at the creature, and then back at Jenny. " You're gonna have to hurry up, darlin'!" he told her, giving her a quick name that slipped out of his mouth.

" Come on you can do it! Come on!" Connor urged her as she was coming closer to the boat. " You'll be fine!" he told her, panic in his voice as Abby held out her hands for Jenny.

" Help me!" Jenny cried, as she swam the creature coming closer to her.

" Swim quicker. Swim quicker!" Connor told her. " Come on, you can do it! Keep swimming!"

" Abby!" Jenny exclaimed as Abby held out her arm some more.

" Jenny!" Abby yelled, holding out her arm.

The two kept trying to tell her to swim, the creature was gaining, and Jenny wasn't doing so well. Then all of a sudden a boat came close enough to Jenny, as Cutter held out his arms for her to come over. " Come here, Jenny. Over here, quickly." he told her as he held out his arms and pulled her onto the boat.

Ashley then spun around and then threw Stephen a gun. He perfectly caught it, and then turned towards the creature, shooting it several times, as Cutter pulled Jenny next to him, his arms around her sweetly.

Ashley sighed in relief. Stephen killed it. She knew that because there was blood in the water and the creature was stopping. She looked over at Stephen, who stood tall.

" Oh, God!" Connor said from the boat that was behind theirs.

" Good shot, Stephen!" Abby cheered. Ashley smiled up at her boyfriend, rested her forehead on his shoulder as Connor spoke again.

" Better late than never!" he cheered. At that comment, Ashley rolled her eyes and Stephen wrapped a hand around her waist. She lifted her head his shoulder and then cheered also.

He smiled over at her as she rolled her eyes, a smile on her face. She grabbed Stephen by the collar of his shirt, and kissed him sweetly on the lips. He then gladly kissed back, his gun dropping as his wrapped his arms around her waist, as they had a quick kiss.

When they broke apart, Stephen walked over to a radio.

" Get the body back to the ARC, ASAP. " Stephen said into a radio.

Once they were all back on land, Ashley wrapped a towel around Jenny as they all made their ways towards the 4x4 Pick-Up Truck. Abby and Connor were behind them looking at the skin that Ashley, Cutter, and Stephen found. Cutter walked behind them, smiling at their interest of the skin.

" What was that thing?" Jenny breathed, wrapping the towel closer to herself.

Then as they were walking, something came up from the water and growled a low growl. It made Cutter stop in his tracks as he turned around the creature went back under the water, leaving just a splash.

Cutter then shook his head, and walked away going ahead and looking over at his daughter and smiled.

* * *

**The ARC **

Back at the ARC, Jenny stood at the top of the ramp leaning against the railing, looking over at the main floor were the others were and where the creature was. Ashley looked up at her and smiled. She was getting used to Jenny now, once you got to know her, she wasn't bad at all.

She looked away from Jenny as she watched her father start walking over to Jenny. She was going to let them have their moment, she started taking off her black jacket and threw it on a chair, leaving her in her white tank-top and looked back at the creature.

As Cutter started walking over to Jenny, he felt his heart squeeze. She looked... so much like Claudia Brown. She looked beautiful. To his surprise, Jenny's hair was down, her heavy make-up was not on as much, and her clothes were more 'Claudia Brown-like' too.

" How are you doing?" he asked her softly, finally finding his voice.

She didn't look at him. " Three months ago, my idea of a life and death issue was getting front row seats at London Fashion Week." Jenny told him, still not looking at him.

Jenny then looked over at him, and Cutter found his breath caught in his throat. " How do you think I'm doing?" she asked him.

" You don't have to do this." he told her. " You can quit." he told her, the sight of her in danger made his heart pound and his blood run cold. He didn't want to loose her again...

" I think I'll take my chances." she said.

_Always so confident, taking chances, stubborn... _Cutter thought, looking over at her.

" Look, Claudia-" he said, and then he stopped himself, realizing by the look on her face at what he had called her. He did it again. No, he didn't mean to. He was doing a great job for the last three months by not calling her Claudia... and then he had too. _Nice, going Cutter. Smart. _he thought.

" I'm... so sorry. Um, Jenny-" he started to say, but she sighed and then looked over at him, a smile on her face.

" You know what? You saved my life, so just for tonight you can call me anything you like." she said to him as Cutter stood there awkwardly.

_Love, beautiful, smart, amazing, cute, adorable, sweetheart, darling Claud- Cutter! Pull yourself together! _He was snapped out of his thoughts, when Jenny spoke again.

" For the record... I really hate that name." Jenny added.

" OK." Cutter said, in a small, quiet voice.

Then as she stood in silence, a question that always came to Cutter's mind came that he always wanted to ask. " You fiance... does he-does he know what you're doing?" he asked her.

By the look on her face, it looked like she didn't want to talk about her fiance.

" He knows I'm working for the government, that's all. Luckily he's not very... curious. Not about my work, anyway. So what about you? Do you have someone?" Jenny said in a soft voice.

Cutter really didn't want her to ask that. " Erm... no. I'm not particularly good at that. My wife left me 8 and a half years ago to travel through the anomalies. And then the next woman I liked she-... left. Yeah. I don't seem particularly attractive romantic proposition at the moment." Cutter explained, his heart cracking, but laughing softly.

As he said that, Jenny also laughed softly and he felt his heart squeeze.

" And on that note, if you'll excuse me. I've got a hot date with a dead shark." he told her, turning away and walking down the railing, not looking back at Jenny, he looked over and saw his daughter, smiling softly at him.

He smiled right back.

* * *

" Can't wait for this." Ashley commented as she looked over to see her dad walking over to her.

" Do you think this is what took Lucien?" Abby asked. Cutter pulled up his sleeves for his black shirt, as Ashley knelt down looking up at the creature's mouth and wrinkled her nose, making Cutter chuckle.

" What a terrible way to die, poor kid." Abby added. Ashley shared a look with her father and they nodded their heads.

" Yeah, but we have to know for sure." Ashley told her, as the two of them put their hands in the mouth of the dead creature.

Ashley shifted, hating the feeling of her hand inside of the creature. Her eyes widen as she felt something strange, her and Cutter then started to try and pull it out, whatever it was.

" Now, wait a minute." Cutter said quietly. Stephen and Abby glanced at each other, and then suddenly a large tongue hit the ground. Ashley eyes widen at the tongue.

" God!" Abby gasped, as Ashley got on her knees and wrinkled her nose.

" Urgh." she said, and then curiously looked at its odd tongue, there were teeth on it. Ashley raised an eye brow as her father spoke.

" Muscle spasms." Cutter said, chuckling softly.

" It's some kind of proboscis." Abby said, looking at the tongue.

Ashley looked curious at the odd tongue, and then poked the teeth with her fingers, curiously. _Odd... _she thought as her fingers touched the small teeth, she looked up to see her father, who raised an amused eye brow at her.

She quickly snatched her hand away. He chuckled softly. " This is a tongue covered with teeth. This is probably used to grab its victims and then pull them into its mouth." Ashley explained, looking up at them.

" Unless I miss my guess, we're looking at the future evolution of a shark." Cutter stated, as Abby re-stood her blue eyes wide.

" Wow." Ashley breathed, and then held the heavy tongue in her hands. _Ok. In the future, never go in the water. _she though to herself.

" Let's get this done. We are gonna have to cut it open." Cutter said as he looked at his daughter to Abby and Stephen.

Ashley nodded and stood up, grabbed a knife and handed it to her father. He moved to the stomach of the shark as Ashley stood next to him as he plunged the knife quickly into its thick skin, making Ashley jump lightly.

It was very hard to cut open the creature, as it took a few seconds, it was strong skin. Then, when Cutter started opening it, water started pouring down from the shark, and when he did open it, a smell leaked from the stomach was strong.

Ashley wrinkled her nose again and felt her stomach twist as the smell. The look on her face made Stephen chuckle. " Wow, that's strong." Cutter said, as if he spoke everyone's thoughts.

He looked over at Ashley and she nodded her head, she then stuck her hand inside, and then felt something. " Got... something..." she muttered and then she soon pulled out a basketball, and let it bounce when she dropped it, that started to say something about Lucien's killer.

" Oh, god!" Abby gasped, as the ball bounced past her. Ashley stepped back, shaking her arm and then grinned at Abby.

Cutter then put his hand in it, and his eyes widen at what he felt. He then pulled it out, it was a shoe. A trainer, to be exact. He dropped it before pulling away from the Shark.

" No. There's nothing left in the stomach." he said as Stephen bent down to pick up the shoe.

" It's not him. He can't have been digested by now." Stephen stated.

" Exactly. It takes a shark days to digest its prey." Ashley explained, nodding her head slightly.

" Lucien, he went missing hours ago." Abby added, looking at Ashley who nodded.

" So, not guilty." Cutter said, still looking at the shark.

" So, it was another one." Abby stated.

Ashley looked over at her father. She didn't really believe that, and neither did her father. _What was the skin about then?_ Ashley thought and then she and her father spoke.

" Maybe." they answered.

* * *

After they were done cutting open the shark- Ashley, Cutter, and Stephen found themselves standing in James Lester's Office. She sighed. _Haven't been her in a while. _She thought.

" Give me some good news." Lester said, looking out his window of his office.

" We still haven't found the boy." Cutter answered.

" No, that's bad news. Good news makes people happy, keep trying." Lester said, not moving.

Ashley rolled her eyes as his comment.

" We found the shark." Cutter said again.

" Now you're getting the hang out it. So, then... problem solved." Lester said, spinning around to face them. Ashley shook her head.

" No, not quite. There's another predator. Abby saw something." Ashley interjected, making everyone in the room face her.

" Another shark." Stephen said, cutting her off, looking back at Lester. Ashley then turned to him and narrowed her eyes and then turned back to face Lester again.

" Or it could be something else. All the evidence points to a marine mammal, that sheds its skin like a seal or a walrus. And the boy was taken above ground. So, even if the shark could swim up the flooded drain, then how did it grab him?" Cutter continued for Ashley.

" Used that proboscis." Stephen stated.

" How do you explain the singing?" Ashley asked without looking at Stephen. " A shark can't make that sound. It doesn't have any vocal cords." Ashley continued.

" So, to sum up then- We're looking for a deadly, skin shedding aquatic predator, with a neat line in Charlotte Church impressions. Well, the marking possibilities are endless." Lester commented, walking around his office.

Ashley clenched her fists and jaw to stop from snapping or saying anything to the man. Lester was on her last nerve this time, sometimes he could enjoyable to her, which was rare, but now he wanted them to find the creature and Lucien, but he wasn't willing to believe what they reported back to him.

" What do we do?" Lester asked them.

Ashley and Cutter opened their mouths to speak, but Stephen beat them too it.

" Drag the canal. Whatever it is, it's got to be in there." he stated. Ashley breathed through her nose in annoyance. Why didn't he believe them? She looked backed at him and glared, didn't he want to save the boy and get rid of the creature?

" If it is a mammal, it can leave the water, so we should widen the search." Cutter finally said.

" Start the search at the canal again in the morning. If nothing turns up, then and only then, we'll consider the options." Lester said, moving back to sit down.

Ashley spun around and pushed past Stephen and started leaving the room. Leek was then in front of her and nudged one of his shoulders, knocking him off balance as Cutter stayed beside her. They both knew that it wasn't in the canal. She knew that Stephen was following.

" Good decision, sir." Leek said to Lester, as his boss looked up from some papers, not amused. " Exactly what I was going to suggest." he added.

Lester the decided to play along. " Really?" he asked, as if he had no clue.

Leek nodded. " M-hmm. "

" How terribly reassuring." Lester said to him with a smile, as Leek gave a laugh an turned away.

When he turned away Lester's smile fell as he tried not to roll his eyes.

_Idiot. _Lester thought to himself.

* * *

**Connor and Abby's Flat **

The lights were out, as Connor and Abby started walking up the stairs, the two of them, just wanting to go to sleep as Abby flicked on the lights, then the two of them heard a sleepy noise.

They looked over at the couch, to see Caroline fast asleep. Abby glared up at Connor. " Come here." she whispered, grabbing his arm and then pulling her to a different spot in the room.

" What's she doing?" Abby whispered, looking at Connor, who just looked over at Caroline and smiled at her.

" She stayed up for me." he said, a dreamy smile still on his face.

Abby placed one hand on her hip, and the other on her face as she sighed in annoyance. " She didn't stay up, did she? She's asleep." Abby questioned.

" It's the thought that counts, isn't it?" Connor asked, not looking at Abby. He went up to her on the couch and grabbed a bouncy ball, smiling as he stared over at his girlfriend.

Abby sighed again and gripped her hair. " Hey, hello. What are you doing?" Connor said and knelt down to Caroline, who woke up and smiled over at her boyfriend. As he talked to her, Abby walked into her kitchen and stopped, she didn't hear a familiar chirp.

" Rex." she said, she froze when she heard chirping, but it was shaky. She looked at the direction from where it was coming from. It was coming from the fridge. She then opened the fridge.

" REX!" She screamed. Rex was in the fridge, curled up and frost was one his scales and he was shaking badly. Connor and Caroline heard Abby's scream, and Connor looked over his shoulder and went to go after her, but Caroline was playing with tie and then pulled him back, he looked back at her.

" Could you just-thanks." he said quickly, taking her hands off his tie and then running over to the kitchen.

What he saw was horrible. " What are you doing in there?" Abby asked as she slammed the fridge shut, and then placed Rex on a counter and felt her eyes water.

" Oh my god." Connor said, staring at the scene.

Caroline stopped at the doorway, and Connor could see that Abby was very mad. " How did. this. Happen?!" she yelled as she looked down at Rex.

" I have no idea." she said.

" I'll get some towels. I'll get some towels." Connor said, rushing over to get towels.

" Maybe-Maybe he crawled in when I was putting things away. I'll call a vet!" Caroline said.

" No!" Connor and Abby said at the same time.

" Get me some tin foil. " Abby said to Connor, but looked down at Rex.

" Tine foil." Connor nodded, and went to go and grab some.

Caroline looked at the two. " I should go." she said.

And when she said that, Abby looked up at Caroline. " Yeah, good idea." she said.

" Abby!" Connor hissed at her. She didn't look up at him, she was worried about Rex.

" I'm sorry. I hope he makes it." Caroline said. That time, Abby looked up at her, glaring with a 'Yeah-right' face. And with that Caroline started walking away, Connor still looked at Rex but held his hand out.

" Look, you don't need to go I-" he said, walking to the door to go and get her, but sighed, knowing he wasn't going to. Connor turned back to Abby, who was on the verge of tears with Rex.

" Hes gonna be OK ain't he-" he started to say and walked closer, but Abby slammed her hand on the counter.

" Don't touch him Connor! You don't know what you're doing! Keep your girlfriend away from him in the future, yeah?" she said, making him step back.

Connor looked down as she stared at him. " Sorry." he muttered, and she bit her lip before looking back down at Rex.

* * *

**The Canal **

The next morning, Ashley was walking along the side of the canal with her father and Stephen. She noticed that Special Force Soldiers were walking behind, carrying weapons and other things.

Ashley had her hair in a braid that was over her right shoulder, a brown lim draped silk tank top, some brown ankle boots, a pair of dark blue jeans, and a pale white jacket on.

" Look, there's something about this that doesn't add up. I think we should widen the search to the canal's side." Cutter finally said, making Stephen and Ashley stop to look at him. Stephen was in front of them, while Cutter and Ashley were beside each other.

" This is another one of your hunches isn't it?" Stephen asked, looking at the two.

Ashley shook her head. " Nope. We're looking in the wrong place. It isn't here, I know it." Ashley explained to him.

" We can't just drop everything, you know. There's a plan in place. A good plan." Stephen stated, looking at her.

" Well where have I ever been wrong?" Cutter asked.

Stephen had a look on his face, that Cutter knew. " Except about women, generally." Cutter added. And at that Ashley face palmed herself.

" Look at the odds. Its got to be in the Canal." Stephen said, facing the two and watching Ashley roll her eyes slightly. She wasn't buying it, or not giving up on where the creature was to save the boy.

" Just give us a few minutes. We just want to look over there." Cutter said.

" What am I gonna tell Lester?" Stephen asked them.

" Cover for us." Cutter stated simply.

" No, 'cause you're wasting time." Stephen said.

They stood in silence for a few seconds, and then Ashley looked over at Stephen and gave him an adorable smile that she knew he loved. He looked over at her as she smiled.

" Ten minutes." she said simply. And with that, the two of them walked back up the dock. Stephen shook his head at the two.

He sighed as he watched them. " They never give up, do they?" he asked himself with another shake of the head.

* * *

Ashley and Cutter were walking around the dock as they stopped at a white building area. They were done looking at it, while Ashley sighed and then turned to face forward and her eyes stopped at a man.

It was the Cleaner, from the mall. He was wearing a Soldier Outfit.

" Wait... I know that man." she whispered, making her father turn around and his eyes widen, he knew that man too.

" Hey!" Cutter called, making the man turn around and face them. Yup, that was him. When he saw them walking towards them he started running away. Ashley and Cutter spent no time talking as they chased after him.

" Hey!" Ashley called as she and her father started chasing the man.

The cleaner started running over to the docks, were all the boats were as he jumped on objects like boxes or other boats to make him run faster, Ashley and Cutter did the same thing.

She noticed that there was dark clouds, and it was going to rain soon. " Why the hell is he running?" she asked quietly, as he started going over to an old boat and jumped on it.

The two did the same as well.

They looked around as he suddenly disappeared and then they saw him on one more boat, going under the deck of it. Ashley and Cutter quickly followed him and found themselves in a dark room, going under a ladder.

When they dropped down, they saw him standing there, his back to them. Ashley wondered what the hell is was even doing.

" So what's going on?" Cutter asked him.

He didn't give an answer.

Then Ashley and Cutter started walking towards him.

" We know you." Ashley stated.

The cleaner turned around slowly at them and then suddenly out of know where, Ashley found herself on the floor, banging her head against the wooden floor and then blackness taking over her world.

* * *

Cutter and Ashley didn't know how long they were out, but they knew it was more than 10 minutes. They were knocked down on the floor, the only light coming from the sun.

Ashley felt the warm sun on her back as she slowly started to open her eyes. She then hissed in pain as her cheek hurt along with her forehead. When she started to get up she felt very dizzy, and then fell back again.

She didn't see her father starting to get up as well, she felt his hands on her cheeks as he lifted her head onto his lap, looking down at her with worry and angry flashing in his blue eyes.

" You alright?" he asked, and she could tell he was dizzy too.

His daughter nodded her head. " Yeah, just my head and cheek hurts. Did... did he... he punch you too?" Ashley asked, looking up at him.

Her father nodded his head. " Yup. And you have a bruise on your cheek." he said softly, his hand tracing over her cheek.

" Yup. Maybe that's why it hurts." she whispered and then slowly got up, only sitting on her knees. She looked over at her father as now angry flashed in his eyes.

" Lil... piece of sh-" he started to say but Ashley's eyes widen as she placed a finger on his lips. She heard a noise.

" Dad... do you hear that?" she asked him quietly.

By the look on his face, he did hear it. They looked over at the wall of the boat and since they couldn't get up right now, they slowly crawled over to the wall, their bodies still weak and pressed their ears against it.

There was singing from outside the ship. Again. The same singing they heard in the drains.

They were right, it wasn't in the Canal.

* * *

After 10 minutes had pasted, Cutter and Ashley hadn't returned yet. It made Connor and Abby go over to the direction that the two went. They saw them jump down from a boat and on the waters edge. The two noticed a bruise on Ashley's cheek and then asked them what happened. They told them everything about a man and heard singing from outside the ship.

As they were heading back to the dock Connor and Abby grabbed some equipment as they handed it to Ashley as she lowered a mic into the water. Cutter and Connor started listening to any sounds under the water.

Ashley got up and then stood next to Abby. " You OK?" Abby asked softly, eyeing the bruise on Ashley's cheek.

She nodded. " Fine. It's just a bruise. I've had worse. " Ashley said and pointed to the scar of the Future predator. " Just gonna to be in trouble when Stephen sees this." she added.

Abby laughed softly as the two looked down at Cutter and Connor.

" You know that guy that hit you two? What if he comes back?" Connor asked, placing his headphones around his neck.

" He won't. We've seen him before. In the mall. It was the cleaner." Ashley explained and Connor looked up at her.

" I've seen that guy too. I saw him in the ARC. He was... dressed like a soldier." Connor said.

" You're sure?" Cutter asked, and then Connor looked at Cutter.

He though for a second and then nodded. " Yeah." he answered.

" Alright. Something's going on. We're being watched." Cutter said, looking up and sharing a look with Ashley.

" Lester?" Connor asked.

" Maybe." Ashley answered as her father put his headphones on.

" We should get Stephen, yeah?" Abby suggested.

" Shh." Cutter said suddenly and leaned forward a bit as he heard something.

There was the singing sound again. " Are you recording this?" Cutter asked Connor.

Connor nodded his head a bit. " I mean, what does that sound like to you?" Cutter asked.

" Don't know." Connor answered. " Bit like something I once heard in Glastonbury in chill out tent."

" Glastonbury?" Abby scoffed, and Ashley looked over at her.

" Yeah." Connor said taking off his headphones and looking over at Abby.

" Like you've ever been to Glastonbury!" Abby retorted.

" How would you know?" Connor argued with her.

Cutter took off his headphones and looked at the two. " Look, what is going on with the pair of you?" he asked them, with an irritated tone.

" Connor's dating, Cruella de Vil!" Abby stated looking straight at Connor when she said that.

_So that's what bothering Abby? Connor's girlfriend? Wait, wait... Connor has a girlfriend? _Ashley thought, looking at the two.

" Oh for crying out loud! It was an accident! How many times to I-" Connor started to say but Ashley cut him off.

" Shut up! Both of you!" she snapped at them.

Ashley rolled her eyes and looked back at her dad. " Alright. Grab those recordings and let's get back to the boat." Cutter ordered, standing up as Connor grabbed the recordings and Ashley and Abby started walking towards the boat.

* * *

Once the four of them got back in the boat, Ashley stood next to Abby and watched her father lower the speaker into the water as Connor played back the recordings they had earlier.

" OK, here will do. Play back the recordings. See if we can invite them to come and see us." Cutter said, as he and Connor put the headphones on as the sounds of the creatures played again.

Abby was now on her knees as she looked under the water, she looked over when she heard a movement just to see Ashley kneel down beside her. The two women looked down at the water. Something rose out of the depths and blinked at the two, but stayed below the waters surface.

Whatever it was, it made Ashley and Abby stand up and jump back. " Guys... " Abby trailed off and when Cutter and Connor turned to look at her, the two women looked back to see it was gone.

" Nothing." Ashley said after a sigh. _What the hell was that? _

The two men looked at them before turning back to the recordings. Ashley and Abby shared a shaky breath and confused looks before looking back over the edge again.

" Maybe no one's home, eh?" Connor suddenly spoke, getting to his feet and looking down at Cutter. " I think this is silly! We should be helping Stephen, search the canal, Cutter!" he added.

" It's not in the canal." Cutter said firmly.

Ashley and Abby sighed, as they stood up their backs to the water. Abby felt something rise up behind her, but before she could see what it was, something grabbed onto her waist and then the next thing she saw were the murky waters around her.

When Ashley heard the splash she turned to her side to see her friend gone. " Abby?" she questioned and her eyes widen when she saw a familiar life line floating above the water.

" Abby! Something's taken her! Abby!" Connor yelled, as soon as he heard the splash. Ashley looked at her father and Connor, then quickly started taking off her jacket and threw it on the boat.

Next thing she knew, she was taking her life as she dove into the water. Seeing nothing but the murky green color, and looked around the water. She couldn't see anything.

Above the surface Connor grabbed a rifle and aimed it for where Abby had disappeared and Ashley had dove as Cutter was taking off his jacket. " Put that down, you could kill Abby and Ashley!" he yelled, knowing they were still under the water.

" I can't see her!" Connor said.

Feeling her lungs burn, Ashley started swimming up to the surface, but then gasped under the water, bubbles flying from her mouth as she felt something, not human, grab her waist and pull her deeper into the murky water. She looked down at the arms around her waist and looked up to see ripples in the water, her father had dove in, or belly flopped in.

The thing kept dragging her down deeper into the water as she struggled to get free. Her lungs burned and she needed air, she gripped the hands around her, which weren't really hands as she kept getting dragged deeper into the water, she saw a glimpse of her father as she struggled once again. Soon, she felt the air leave her and her eyes closed.

But no, she wasn't giving up that easily. She forced her eyes open and breathed as long as she could.

Ashley then kicked behind her, and heard a moan under the water, as the large arms fell from her waist, she soon felt something, like a tail kick her in the back, making her stumble slightly. She quickly spun around, her brown hair in her face to see something, but saw nothing and then started swimming up to the surface again to breathe. And started gulping for air, feeling her body shake.

" Get help, now!" Cutter yelled and she looked over to see her father not that far away from her.

" Connor... NOW!" Ashley yelled as the two of them say him hesitate for a moment.

" OK. OK." Connor nodded as he started the boat and drove off. Ashley took some shaky breaths and next thing she knew she and her father then dove back in the water to still search for their friend. Ashley was still confused about what had grabbed her.

* * *

After Abby had been taken, Special Force Soldiers starting diving in the water, searching for Abby. As Ashley resurfaced she looked around and swam towards the nearest boat, which Stephen was on and he grabbed her arms and helped her inside, her father pulled in next to her. Stephen noticed her bruise, but shrugged it off, Abby was their main focus, and Ashley agreed and said it was nothing.

What felt like hours of searching for Abby, they came up with nothing. Ashley had explained to her father that something had grabbed her from under the water as well, and she thought that what's might have taken Abby.

The boats were heading back towards the docks. Ashley bit her lip, she wanted to keep searching for Abby, but knew that the team wasn't going to find her anyways.

She noticed that Connor was a mess. He looked from Ashley to Cutter in utter disbelief. Abby had just been taken from them, why wasn't anyone looking for her?

" No, no. What are you doing? We have to- we have to keep looking. We can't- we can't just stop..." Connor exclaimed, getting off the second boat.

" This is Abby we're talking about. We can't just give up, right?" he asked frantically. Ashley looked over at her friend, she could tell by the look on his face that he knew that she wanted to find Abby was well, but she couldn't think of anything else.

" Stephen?... Ashley?" Connor asked them, looking at the two.

When nobody answered him, he grew annoyed and angry, and pushed past them to get to the boats. " Well, I'm not stopping for her." Connor said, determined as Ashley stepped forward.

" Connor, Connor, Connor, Connor." Stephen said, stopping Connor from moving by taking a hold of his arms.

" We're doing everything we can." Ashley said, taking a hold of one of his arms and squeezing it gently. She could see his was on the verge of tears and his was tense, but when she touched his arm his body relaxed at her comforting tone that she had with him.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw Lester, two Soldiers, Leek, and Jenny walking towards them, Ashley said one more comforting thing to her friend and then went to her father's side once again.

" We told him to get help, but he wouldn't even go. You wouldn't go and get help. Why? Why didn't you help her?" Connor demanded, looking at her father. Ashley sighed.

Her father _did _help and so did she. And Connor made it sound like it was her father's fault, she felt guilty because she felt like it was her fault too. But they did everything they could.

Lester stopped in front of Ashley and Cutter. He glanced slightly at Connor, but then turned back to them.

" How did this happen?" Lester questioned them, his hands behind his back.

" We were following up a lead." Cutter answered.

" And who did you tell?" Lester asked again.

Ashley and Cutter stayed silent, Cutter first knew it wasn't in the Canal, and he told her. That's something. " Me. He... told me." Ashley interjected, it was true he did tell her.

" Did you know about this?" Lester questioned, turning to Stephen. Ashley looked over at him.

" No." Stephen said, turning to face Lester.

" And now the girl's dead." Lester said, as Connor spun around to face him, angry, annoyance, and determination in his eyes, along with hurt and sadness.

" She not dead! She's not dead!" he answered to Lester.

Ashley nodded her head slightly, this was Abby. Abby fought, she never gave up. She wasn't dead.

" We could just go out there and find her!" Connor stated, looking at Ashley and her dad. " All we need to do is get back in the boats, and do _SOMETHING! _Why's nobody doing anything?!" Connor added.

" Take him home." Lester said to Jenny.

" Please!" Connor cried, and Ashley felt her heart squeeze. " Don't do this. Cutter." he said.

Cutter turned slightly. Ashley bit her lip and gave her friend a sympathetic look. Ashley got away from her father's side and moved out of the way of the group, she could see Connor was getting angrier by the second.

" Connor," she said gently. " I want to help, my dad wants to help. We do. But I don't know was else I, or anyone can do right now, Connor. Trust me, we want to find her. But don't worry, we won't give up on her. She's strong, you know that. Just go home for now." she told him.

He knew she was right, he could see that she wanted to help. Ashley looked over at Jenny, who seemed a bit surprised, she never knew Ashley was so gentle with her friends. Ashley nudged Connor's shoulder gently as he followed Jenny.

When she turned back, she stopped in her tracks when everyone, including Lester, was looking at her, she then walked back up beside her father, as Lester looked over at the two.

" I suppose being team players for once in your life was _completely_ beyond you." Lester said, talking about Ashley and her father.

" We take full responsibility for this. " Ashley said, Cutter nodded his head. She did take responsibility for this, she wouldn't _stop_ feeling guilty, but luckily she was hiding it well.

" How very gracious of you, dearie." Lester said to them, but faced her.

" But its still out there. We are very close and we still have to finish the job." Cutter spoke, sternly.

" This jobs already finished. For you two." he said to them. Ashley stared at him with wide eyes. " Go home." he said finally.

Ashley and Cutter stood their ground as Lester turned to Stephen. " You're in charge."

Stephen looked at her and Cutter, as they stared right back.

" Oh, don't look at them, look at me. Come on. What do you need?" Lester asked.

Ashley looked at Stephen, wondering if he actually cared or still believe that the creature was in the Canal. And to see if he would react to his girlfriend, and his best friend fired. She didn't want to sound whinny or annoying about it, she just wanted to know, she was curious.

" Something better than Sonar. We have to go over every inch of the Canal again. A remote control submarine could do it." Stephen explained.

" Get it for him." Lester said to Leek, as he turned away.

" You're looking in the wrong place." Ashley stated, her eyes leaving Stephen's. By the way she said it, she wasn't happy with him one bit. Didn't he want to find Abby? The creature? Lucien?

" Do you agree?" Lester asked, as he turned around to face Stephen.

" No." Stephen said, looking away from Ashley.

Cutter and Ashley then walked pasted Lester, her father nudging Lester's shoulder harshly. As Ashley threw one more glare at her boyfriend.

" Whatever took Abby, is in the Canal." Stephen said, facing Lester as he and the Special Force soldiers were on boats and looking in the canal with the remote control submarine.

Stephen couldn't shake the feeling, of how different it felt without his strong friend, Abby by his side.

How different it felt without his goofy, yet intelligent friend, Connor by his other side.

How different it felt without his best friend, teacher, brother-like figure _always _by him.

Or how his heart tugged and how different it felt without his girlfriend, the women he loved, _always _and never leaving him.

* * *

**Connor and Abby's Flat **

Back at Abby's flat, Connor sat down in the living room in silence. He looked around the flat, memories of him and Abby playing through his mind whenever he looked around the flat. Everything reminded him of Abby. What was he going to do without her? He could see picture's of Abby's face in his mind's eyes. It wasn't doing any good, tears leaked through his eyes.

Connor opened his eyes when he heard a small chirping sound. He looked next to him, to see Rex walking up to him, and chirping softly. He looked away from Rex for a moment, closed his eyes, only to see Abby's beautiful face once again. He opened his eyes and then smiled, a small smile and looked over at Rex.

He sniffed and then smiled a bit more. " Hey." he said in a small voice, as Rex chirped. Connor grabbed some small food and placed it in front of Rex, the lizard chirped again and picked up the food before flying away with it.

At that, Rex only reminded him of Abby even more. He held on tighter to the edge that he was one and closed his eyes, tears falling down his face as he closed his eyes, just wanting Abby to come back to him as he remembered Ashley's gentle words.

_" Trust me, we want to find her. But don't worry, we won't give up on her. She's strong, you know that." _those words kept replaying in his mind as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Even as he thought about her words, it sounded like a false hope to him. Was she still alive? Could it be possible?

* * *

**Warehouse **

Meanwhile, with Abby, bubbles erupted from her mouth. There was a light shinning above her, but she was still in the water. Her blue eyes were opened as she quickly scanned the water. It was a surprise that she was still alive, even to herself. Soon, she felt herself rising up, she gripped onto a metal grate that covered the only exit for an escape.

Abby gasped for air as she felt her lungs burn from being underwater and spluttered, " Help!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, her make-up slightly running down her face and her hair back as she yelled.

" Help!" she yelled again as loud as she could.

There was a movement beside her and someone else appeared out of the water.

" Help!" they yelled also, it was a male.

Abby's eyes lit up with realization. " Lucien?" she asked, looking at the boy.

" I thought you were dead." Lucien said to her.

" What is this place?" she asked, ignoring his sentence.

" Don't know." Lucien confessed, " They took us down here though, those things."

Abby looked up at the metal covering and started to hit it above her, trying to get it loose, so Lucien and her could get out.

" Don't waste your time. Already tried that." he said to her, showing one of his hands.

" We gotta try. Come on, help me."

The two of them started hitting the metal cover once again, but it didn't last long when a sudden creature appeared above them and roared down at them. Abby and Lucien let go of the metal railing and disappeared from under the water, and they re-surfaced, and when they did, the creature was gone.

" We're gonna die, aren't we?" Lucien asked her, sadly.

" My friends are looking for us, they're gonna be here soon." Abby reassured him, she knew they would come and find them. She had faith in them. Faith in Connor.

" They don't even know if we're alive."

" They'll find us, I promise." Abby promised him.

She gripped the metal covering and pulled herself up as best as she could to get out of the water. She just hoped they would come soon and get them out. She knew they would. They just had to wait.

* * *

**The Canal **

Ashley and her father made it to the Pick-Up truck. She couldn't believe it, she was just fired. She didn't like Lester, or Leek, or some of the other workers that tried to hit on her, but she loved the job. She had her father, her boyfriend, her two best friends, and she got to uncover secrets. Some good, some bad.

But, no way was she giving up on Abby, or Lucien. And she knew her father wasn't either.

She groaned and placed her hands on her forehead, and breathed through her nose. It was a long day. She jumped slightly when she felt something on her back and turned to see her father rubbing her back comfortingly.

Ashley looked over at her father and gave him a smile. The two walked up to the front of the car and leaned in front of it, as they looked at a map and some papers. She bit her lip, she couldn't concentrate. Her mind trailed off to Stephen. She was furious at him, not only taking over the situation, but not believing her or her father.

She loved him, really, she did. They would do anything to keep each other safe. But every time they had an argument or disagreed, the scene from the Forest of Dean played through her mind, and she kept thinking what would happen if Stephen left, didn't give a damn, just straight up walked away and left, going with her mother.

But now, everything was happening so fast. He didn't believe them, Connor was angry at them, and Abby was gone. It was never easy. They had an argument this morning too, and some of the things he said to her really stung, but it was just another of their stupid arguments.

But she was hurt. _He's hurting me. Something he promised he wouldn't do. But he did. Did he see how much I'm hurting? Does he even care? _

Questions played through her mind whenever this kind of thing happened. She didn't understand anymore. Once they're together smiling and laughing, agreeing, and then the next they're furious at each other. But, every time, even when they were mad at each other, he always made her feel safe as he would always say to her. _" I'll protect you. Keep you safe."_

_" You always do." _is her answer with a smile. Then, at that, a smile crept on Ashley's face, a small one, that is. She wanted to make this work. She needed to make this work for them, and she knew that he wanted that too. Sometimes she was too blind to see it.

Suddenly, her thoughts trailed to Abby. Why didn't she find Abby after only a few minutes- not even that, seconds, and then suddenly she was gone? What taken Abby? She remembered when she was under the water and something grabbed her, was that the same creature that got Abby? It wasn't human, that was for sure. Ashley didn't know anymore.

The young woman snapped out of her long thoughts when she heard the clicking of high heels. Jenny. She started walking up to her father, with a smile and then looked over at Ashley and then back at Cutter.

" You're not suppose to be here." she said to them.

Cutter looked briefly up from the maps and papers and stared at Jenny. " Well, where else are we gonna go?" he asked, looking back down from the papers, not meeting Jenny's brown eyes that he loved.

" I could have you thrown out." Jenny said to them.

At that Ashley chuckled, not looking at Jenny. " Yep. You could." Ashley said, popping the 'p'. Jenny looked over at the younger woman and then pulled out a small piece of paper.

" Thought you might be interested in this." she said, as Cutter took the paper from her hands and then froze when her soft fingers accidentlly brushed over his and he looked down at the paper, feeling heat crept on his face.

" A local builder has lodged a complaint. He can't get in to demolish an old warehouse because the basement was flooded in the tidal surge." Jenny explained to them. " Maybe you two are right. Maybe we're looking for the creature in the wrong place... at the very least it's definitely worth checking out." she added in a soft voice and then turned away to leave.

Cutter looked over at her. _Let me thank her, just something cute and funny._ He thought to himself, but then felt like an idiot when his mouth opened. " Hey..." he said and Jenny turned around, her brown eyes sparkling. " As petty-minded bureaucrats go, you're the best." he finished.

He watched as Jenny broke into a soft, small smile before turning away to leave this time, her heels clicking away. He gave his daughter a look when he turned to her. She was grinning like an idiot.

The two then got in the car and pulled away, driving to the warehouse.

* * *

Cutter continued driving, as Ashley was still lost in her thoughts. They drove in silence, Ashley didn't notice the glances that he gave her which were curious and most of them concerned.

After a while they stopped at Abby and Connor's flat. Ashley bit her lip as her father pulled out his mobile and put it on speaker and pressed a button, Ashley sighed and knew they were calling Connor.

" Connor, I know how you feel. But I need your help. I think I know where to look." Cutter said, Ashley looked out the window of the flat and sighed quietly when she heard nothing but silence.

* * *

**Connor and Abby's Flat **

Connor had pulled out his mobile and listened as the voice of Nick Cutter came. He didn't say a word though, he sat still listening to his voice and blinked some tears that were in his eyes.

_" Connor.." _came the soft voice of Ashley in a gentle way. Her voice ran through the flat as he stared at the mobile, still not saying a word as he listening when Cutter spoke again.

_" Connor. Look, listen to me. It's my fault. I should have asked for backup and I didn't. And that arrogance cost the life of a very brave, very beautiful girl. And you're... you're right to blame me. But surely, if there's even half a chance that we can stop the same thing happening to somebody else, then we owe it to Abby to do it...and this time we're asking for backup, so will you come and help us, please?" _

He stayed silent. It started raining outside, and Connor could hear the distant thunder. Rain drops dropped down on the windows of the flat. Connor was debating with himself if he should go or not. Still, silence came and he didn't answer.

_" Connor... OK, uh..If you change your mind Jenny Lewis knows where to find me." _Cutter said again, and then hung up. Connor also closed his mobile as he looked out the window seeing the rain, he didn't see Ashley give her father a sad look.

* * *

**Warehouse **

" HELP!" Abby screamed at the top of her lungs and Lucien yelled also. They started yelling after a while, the two weren't sure if anyone could hear them, but it was better than waiting in silence. They didn't notice one of the creatures that swam right underneath their feet.

" What do you think they are?" Lucien asked, facing Abby. " Those things?"

" I don't know, but if they were going to kill us, they would have done it already. There's got to be a reason why we're still alive." Abby answered.

" You won't tell my mates, will you?"

" Huh?"

" That I'm scared."

" You're not scared. Seriously now, who'd be frightened of a giant tadpole?" Abby said.

They started laughing a bit.

" You're fine. Honestly, you're fine." Abby reassured him with a smile.

* * *

**The Canal **

Helicopters were in the air, as boats floated on the water. Stephen kept looking at the camera, as one of the Special Force Soldiers sat beside him also looking at the camera.

" We swept the whole canal." he said.

Stephen looked briefly up for a moment. " Swept it again." he said after a second.

They started searching again as the two looked at the screen. Stephen's eyes then caught something and then pointed at it. " Whoa, whoa, whoa, back it up! Back it up!" he said, the soldier backed it up and Stephen pointed again. " There. Try down there." he added.

" Listen, the openings too small. We're gonna smash up the system." the soldier said.

" I'll buy you a new one, just keep going." Stephen said as the Soldier obeyed.

* * *

**The Warehouse **

Once Ashley and Cutter got to the warehouse, the two started following the hand held device anomaly detector that Connor made. The beeping was slightly faint, but it got stronger as they went forward. A locked grate covered the entrance to where they thought the Anomaly was. Ashley sighed and looked around her eyes stopped to a figure.

It was Connor. Once she saw him, a smile was one her face. He came.

" This help?" Connor asked, holding a crow bar in one hand and an anomaly detector in the other.

" Yeah." Cutter said, looking over his shoulder and held out his hand for the crow bar. " Yeah, that'll do the trick." he added as he took the crow bar and started unchaining the grate.

Silence feel between the three of them. Cutter broke it as he spoke.

" Uh, thanks for coming." he said to Connor.

" With respect, I'm not doing it for you." Connor said and then swallowed a lump in his throat. " It's what she would've wanted." he added. Ashley and her father shared a look. They both knew he was talking about Abby.

" We had an argument. A lot of things we said to each other were mean and... stupid." Connor explained as Ashley knelt down next to her father.

" She knew how much you cared about her." Ashley said softly, not looking at her friend.

" You think?" Connor asked her, as he shifted a bit.

Ashley looked over at him. " Yeah. I know." she answered.

" Yeah." Connor said as he knelt down on the other side Cutter.

" You alright?" Cutter asked, nudging Connor's arm as he knelt beside him, and looked down at the anomaly detector. For a few minutes Connor didn't say anything, Ashley knew what he was thinking.

" Yeah." Connor said, with a small nod. Ashley smiled as he father finished unchaining the grate, and unchained it.

* * *

**The Canal **

Back at the Canal, Stephen was still on the boat with the Soldiers and then looked down at the boat when his Anomaly Detector started beeping. He quickly picked it up.

" The anomaly, it's re-opened." Stephen said as he started to move the Submarine some more into the water to find the anomaly. One of the soldiers looked over at him.

" You'll crash it." he explained.

But Stephen, he just simple rolled his eyes. " Sue me." he said, as he looked down at the screen were the underwater Submarine was and moved it some more.

* * *

**Warehouse**

Ashley, Cutter, and Connor were climbing down a ladder. Ashley was behind Connor and her father. When she heard the beeping of the anomaly detector, she looked down at the ones in their hands. Her father was already at the bottom and Connor and Ashley weren't the far behind.

" Cutter, the anomaly's reopened." Connor explained as he dropped down from the ladder.

" I know." Cutter answered, looking around. Ashley jumped off the ladder and then caught up to Connor and Cutter, on the right side of her father as she looked at the detector.

" It's this way." Cutter said, as the three of started going towards the direction of the beeping sound.

Where they came to was a dead end. In front of them was a stone, wall. But the anomaly detector beeped louder.

" No!" Connor yelled. " What are we supposed to do now?" he asked.

" It's just a wall. " Ashley breathed from next to her father and grabbed a crow bar that Connor had brought with them and then raised it up to the wall and started smashing through it as fast as she could.

* * *

" The water," Lucien said as he and Abby were still in the tanks.

" It's getting deeper." Abby finished, as they watched the water rise. " Help!" she yelled.

Soon, Lucien joined her. " Help!" they yelled. " Help! Someone!"

Abby could here the banging on brick. Someone or some people were coming. She turned to face Lucien.

" It's OK. They are gonna get us out, you'll see. We're not gonna drown. It's OK." Abby reassured him. Suddenly, she felt something grab her waist as she screamed. She was being pulled down under again, from under the water she could hear Lucien calling her name.

" Help! Help!" Lucien yelled as he heard another male voice,

" I can hear shouting. Someone's in there." Connor said, as Ashley kept breaking through the wall. Finally getting it through, Ashley went in first and looked around, she didn't see anything, but she heard someone shouting.

" Hello? Hello! In here! Quickly, the water's rising!" came a male voice, Ashley, Cutter, and Connor jumped onto one of the tanks and saw a boy who was about 18-years old. Her eyes widen. It was Lucien.

" Lucien! Lucien, hang on. We're gonna get you out of there." Cutter said as he, Connor, and Ashley started to open the grate that was above Lucien. Once they got it opened, Ashley pulled him out and he coughed and spluttered.

" Are you alright?" Cutter asked him. Water dripped onto their heads as they sat down.

" You've got to help Abby." Lucien coughed.

Ashley, Cutter, and Connor shared looks before looking back down at the boy.

" What?" Cutter asked, facing Lucien.

" Abby!" Lucien said again.

" Abby's still alive?" Connor asked in disbelief.

" They took her." Lucien coughed.

" Where did they take her?" Connor asked in a hurry.

" Down the pipes." Lucien coughed once again.

Ashley held a hand onto his chest as she looked over at the young boy. " Down the pipes down here?" she asked, pointing to the pipes. Lucien just coughed again.

" It took her..." he said.

" Abby!" Connor yelled, running off to look for her.

Ashley and her father looked over at Connor. " Connor!" they yelled, but they never got an answer.

xXx

After a while, Abby could feel herself rising up from the water. She was propelled out of the water and landed hard on a metal surface, it slamming into her back. She gulped for hair as she looked around.

Suddenly, right in front of her, one of those creatures was rising from the water. Abby's eyes widen as she pushed herself up to her feet, in a fighting position. She remembered Caroline's trick of kicking, and then acting fast, she jumped in the air and kicked the creature in the throat backwards into the water.

Abby started finding her breath again, her hands on her knees. _The one time I thank Caroline... _she thought.

* * *

Back with Ashley, Cutter, and Lucien the two of them were still kneeling down in front of him as Cutter held a crow bar just in case.

" Lucien, what did it look like?" Ashley asked the boy.

" That!" Lucien answered pointing behind her. As soon as she turned around she felt her eyes widen at the sight of the creature. " I ain't going back in those tank again." Lucien said as he moved backwards, Ashley doing the same.

" What the hell is that?" Cutter asked moving in front of his daughter as he held up the crow bar. The creature roared at them. " Lucien, Ashley just stay where you are." he added.

Lucien looked down at a boulder that was beside him. He quickly picked it up and then threw it like a basketball over to the creature. The boulder hit the pipe above the creature and then it hit the creature on the head, knocking it out.

" Yes! Two points! Who says I can't play?" Lucien asked, as Ashley and Cutter smiled.

" Nice shot." Cutter smiled as he nudged Lucien's shoulder.

Looking up at the pipe, her eyes widen once again as she saw another creature coming from the pipes and over to her father. " Dad!" she yelled and when he turned around the creature and him hit the water, as they did Ashley could see Lucien shaking and she held his arm.

" What was that?" Cutter asked them as he re-surfaced. His eyes slightly widened at the look of fear on his daughter and Lucien's face. Slowly, he turned around and was face to face with another creature.

He started backing away, as the creature moved forward. Then, all of a sudden bubbles emerged from the water in front of Cutter and Ashley's eyes widen once again. It was a mini Submarine. It was Stephen.

The creature turned over to the submarine, and attacked it, giving Cutter time to get out of the tank.

* * *

**The Canal **

" What the-?" Stephen asked, lost for words once he saw the creature. Cutter and Ashley were right. He closed the camera, an idea, a dangerous one, popped in his head as he stood up.

" Give me a gun." he said quickly, as one of the soldiers on the boat handed him a gun. " Give me a pistol." Stephen said again, holding out on of his other hands. He was getting impatient, his friends, and the woman he loved could be in danger. " Come on!" he urged and the solider handed him it.

Next thing he knew, Stephen reloaded the big gun and then dove into the water, swimming to Ashley, Cutter, and the others.

* * *

**Warehouse **

Abby was still panting, her hands on her knees. " Abby!" came a voice that she knew so well.

She looked up at the sound of her name and smiled in relief. It was Connor. He was here. He didn't give up on her.

" It's OK! You're safe!" Connor smiled.

Suddenly, there was a rush of water, and something was starting to emerge. It was like the creature from before... only bigger, scarier, and a lot more vicious. It was towering over Abby.

" Abby!" Connor yelled as he started running towards her.

" No, Connor!" she yelled after him, but nothing was stopping him from getting to her.

The creature turned slightly as Connor was jumping over one of the tanks, and raised its flipper-like- arm and pushed Connor sideways into the water, he screamed in pain.

Abby watched in horror. " NO!" She screamed, feeling tears well in her eyes. Then, the creature turned back to her and roared, showing how dangerous it exactly was, as it towered over her once more, she screamed as grabbed her and it went through the anomaly that was beside her.

Soon, Connor emerged from the water as he blinked the water out of his eyes and grabbed onto a tank. He looked around and didn't see Abby, she was gone again. His eyes stopped in the anomaly. He knew she was through there.

" Abby!" he yelled. " I'm coming!"

He started pulling himself up and then started running over to the Anomaly, _now _nothing was stopping him from getting to her.

* * *

Once Cutter was fully out of the tank, Lucien was backed up into what seemed like a large crate, Ashley was in front of him, as her father was in front of her, keeping her out of harm as he held a crow bar.

Two creatures came towards them. " Stay here, just stay here." Ashley said to Lucien as she gripped her father arm and gripped Lucien's arm. More of the creatures came towards them.

" Back... hey!" Cutter yelled, as more Creatures came up to them. Suddenly the three of them turned around when they heard someone gasping for air and emerge from a tank. It was Stephen. He started shooting at the creatures with a gun he had.

" Get down, get down!" Cutter said, pulling Ashley and Lucien down. Ashley was covering Lucien, as Cutter covered her, and she also was covering his head with her other arm as Stephen was shooting the creatures some more.

Once Stephen was done shooting them, Ashley looked at Stephen with wide eyes as he started getting out of the tank. Ashley ran forward to him. " Stephen!" she exclaimed, wrapping her hands around his neck, his free arm around her waist.

* * *

Ashley let go of Stephen after a while and she and the other two got Lucien out of the warehouse. When they returned, they started looking for Connor and Abby. Ashley then looked over at the anomaly, the three of them knew they went through their.

Once they started going over to the Anomaly, Ashley felt something grab her foot. She looked down and screamed, which made the two men turn around and their eyes widen, as a creature grabbed Ashley's foot and then her waist, and dragged her under the water.

" ASHLEY!" They yelled and Stephen dove into the water.

Under the water, Ashley was getting dragged once again, and started struggling as the creature's grip was tight. _Not again. Great. _She wasn't giving up, she had to save Connor and Abby. Once again, she kicked behind her and she was free again, but again, the creature swam towards her and grabbed her foot, she glared at it through the water and kicked it in the jaw, before quickly coming up to the surface, her lungs full of water.

See looked over her shoulder as Stephen came up for air, his eyes full of relief as he saw her, they started swimming to Cutter, who pulled them up. Ashley then snatched a crow bar, as the creature rose up again. Once the creature was close to her, she jabbed the crow bar in its eye, making it roar in pain as Stephen shot it.

Cutter and Stephen turned to her, as she took off her jacket. " Let's go!" she said as the three of them started running over to the anomaly once again.

* * *

**The Future **

Wherever Connor and Abby were, all they knew that it was hot. The sun was drying their clothes. Connor looked up from the cliffs and rocks, as ocean waves crashed against them. He looked around for Abby.

" Abby!" Connor yelled.

As he climbed up the cliff, he could hear the singing of the creatures that had took Abby. He looked over and saw two of them fighting on a edge, as dark thunder clouds and lightning flashed in the sky.

He heard a scream. Abby's scream. " Abby!" Connor yelled, as he ran over to her.

A smaller one of the creatures was in front of her, advancing towards her, growling lowly. Abby backed as far away as she could, but it wasn't that far because there was a cliff behind her.

" Abby!" came Connor's voice above her. She looked up.

" Connor!" she screamed up to him.

The creature continued to advance, before it was knocked out by a rock. The other creatures noticed this and started come forward towards Abby as well. Abby looked fearfully over her shoulder, but then back up when she heard Connor's voice.

He was lying on his stomach with his hand out stretched.

" OK. Abby, come here. Grab my hand." he said to her.

Abby moved forward and reached the highest she could, when she couldn't reach she tried climbing the cliff in front of her.

" That's it, come on. Just climb." Connor said, reaching further out to her. " You can do this."

She climbed higher and then latched her hand onto Connor's.

" That's it. I've got you." he said.

Abby tried pulling herself up with her free hand as Connor strained to pull her up with his hands.

" Grab hold of this." he said, as Abby reached out for the cliff and started pulling herself up as best as she could. " That's it. You're nearly there. You're so nearly there."

Abby felt herself slip from his hand. " Connor, I'm slipping! I can't hold on!" she called up to him. She gave her hand that was on the cliff away, along with her foot. Connor reached over and grabbed her wrist with his free hand to keep a firm hold on her. He wasn't going to loose her, not again.

The creature that had brought Abby here, was making its way towards them, pushing the smaller ones away from itself.

" OK. You need to come up now! Come on!" Connor said with determination.

" I can't!" Abby said, she felt herself fully slipping away as she saw Connor move forward more to the edge. " I'm pulling you over, Connor. Just leave me!" she said.

" No! I'm not letting you go." Connor said, as he managed a grip on her hand. " I lost you once, I'm not loosing you again. Come on, we can do this."

" There's no point in us both dying." Abby said. " Just let me go." she looked up at him. " Just let me go." she whispered.

For what seemed like hours, the two stared into each other's eyes. Brown eyes boring into blue eyes. Abby could see some tears welling up in Connor's eyes as well as her own.

" I can't." he finally said.

" Please." Abby cried.

" I love you" Connor said.

At that, Abby stared up at Connor. Did he just say what she thought he said. He loved her? But... he had Caroline... she looked up at him, why was her heart pounding? Did she love him back? She stayed silent, the words playing through her mind again.

" I am not..." Connor spoke again, as the creature headed towards them. " I'm not leaving you here!"

She was slipping again. Fast. Connor was trying to hold her. " No!" he shouted as she kept slipping once again. Connor held his back hand onto a rock to keep a good grip. Cutter then came behind Connor, and gripped his hand. Connor looked over at him, as Ashley came beside.

" Time to go." Cutter said as he started pulling Connor back along with Abby. Ashley helping as well, as they lifted the two up, they saved Abby from being eaten from the jaws of of the largest Mer creature she had ever seen.

Abby landed into Connor's chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist, hers on his arms as they heard Stephen's voice shout, " Cutter!" he shouted and then threw a machine gun at Cutter, who caught it as he pulled out a pistol and started shooting the creatures. Ashley rushed over to Connor and Abby as they did.

* * *

**Warehouse **

Once they got back from the anomaly into their time, the team met with SAS soldiers, each one had their guns pointed at the anomaly.

" Oh," Abby moaned as she walked out of the anomaly.

" Alright, get these two and get them out." Cutter said to a soldier as they passed, the man nodded and took Abby and Connor out of the warehouse. Ashley following, as Cutter and Stephen aimed their guns at the anomaly.

xXx

When they entered outside of the warehouse, Ashley saw Lucien on a stretcher, heading towards the ambulance. Jenny beside him, Ashley then walked up to Lucien and winked. "Hey." she said softly, smiling.

" OK, I'm just gonna run a few more tests, then we're gonna we're gonna get you back to your parents as soon as we can. They're already been informed that your're safe." Jenny explained with a smile.

Lucien nodded and looked to see Abby. " Abby. Your mates, they came." he said as Abby walked towards them, a smile on her face. " No bother." he added.

" Yeah." Abby said with a smile.

" I reckon your boyfriend did a great job." Lucien said, making Ashley grin, Connor looked at them as Abby's smile faded.

" He's not my boyfriend." she said seriously. Lucien gave her a suspicious look, causing Ashley laugh as Abby walked away from them, along with Connor.

Looking up, Ashley turned around and sighed when she saw Lester and walked over to her father and Stephen as they came back from the warehouse. Lester and Leek walked up to the three.

" Has the anomaly closed?" Lester asked as soon as he saw Cutter.

" No. It's still here and it's likely to recur." Cutter explained.

" You know what, Leek? I think this whole area could benefit from a Government Redevelopment Grant. We'll start by sealing off the anomaly site with a few thousand ton of concrete. That should do the job." Lester said, looking at Leek who was beside him.

" Shall I speak to the Contractors?" Leek asked. Ashley face palmed herself.

Lester noticed and grinned slightly, and then it faded. " No, don't worry. I'll get myself a shovel and a cement mixer and do it myself. Yes of course you should speak to the contractors, you idiot." Lester said, clearly annoyed.

Ashley giggled a little as Stephen and Cutter watched in amusement.

Lester sighed and then looked over at Ashley and Cutter. " Next time I sack you, you might at least _pretend _to stay sacked for more than five minutes. Still, I suppose it's just as well you decided to disobey my orders. If it were left up to Stephen we'd all still be looking in the wrong place, wouldn't we?" Lester asked though more of a statement.

" Jenny, would you like to join us?" Lester asked as he turned away, Jenny following.

Leek looked at the two men, and then at Ashley and gave her a look. She rolled her eyes and stepped forward, he quickly stepped back and went to follow Lester and Jenny. Ashley smirked.

" That's unfair." her father said, and she turned to face him. Stephen shook his head.

" No. No, called it wrong." Stephen said.

" We were lucky." Cutter said, hitting Stephen on the back and walking away.

" Yeah. Yeah you were." Stephen said as Cutter walked away. Ashley smiled and then held Stephen's hand and they walked over to Connor and she asked if he was OK, he said he was, and hugged her suddenly, she was surprised, but hugged back.

As Cutter was walking, Abby stopped in front of him.

" Is that it?" Abby asked Cutter.

" What?" Cutter asked, confused.

" Is that what our future is gonna look like?"

" No, not ours." Cutter said, " The earth's humanity is gonna be long gone by then. Or, perhaps we do survive and we just evolve back into the water, where we came from."

" What, you mean those things could be our descendants?"

" Yeah. It's possible."

" Wow. Didn't fancy yours much." Abby commented with a grin.

Cutter laughed as they turned and walked out, Cutter's arm around Abby's shoulder as they walked to the rest of the group. Ashley greeted her with a hug and said that she was glad that she was back.

* * *

It was getting darker now as Ashley watched Abby, Connor, and the rest of the team leave. Soon, she sighed and shivered by the goosebumps that appeared on her skin.

" Hey." came Stephen's voice. She turned around and smiled.

" Hey." she said back to him.

Something seemed to be on his mind as she raised an eye brow. " What?" she asked.

He sighed and hugged her. " You scared me. So much." he whispered as she laughed.

" Ah, well, you should have been worried about Abby more. " she grinned.

" I was. The both of you." he said, taking her hand.

Ashley smiled once again and kissed his cheek. " Sorry, about not believing you and Cutter." Stephen confessed.

" It's fine, Stephen. Like you said, you called it wrong." she gently held his hand, intertwining her fingers into his. " Look, I just want to make this work. You know, us."

" Me too." he agreed.

And with that, Stephen pulled her and kissed her on the lips. She then softly kissed back, glad that she and her boyfriend could work out their relationship as she smiled into the kiss.

xXx 

Soon, she found her father getting into his car. She then ran up to him. " Dad!" she called. He looked over at her and stepped out of his truck and walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her.

" Hey." he said softly.

" Hi." she said, hugging him harder.

" You alright?" Cutter asked, chuckling softly.

She sighed, shaking her head. " Sure. I was beating up some over weight mermaids and got fired and lost one of my best friends. So, yeah, I'm doing just fine."

Cutter laughed. " I have to ask you something." he told her.

Ashley looked up and raised an eye brow. " What?" she asked.

" Lester wants us to do some files and papers... " he trailed off and smirked when he saw her face. " Would you care to join me tomorrow in my office, Ms. Cutter?" he asked her.

Ashley laughed, he never did that with her, only a few times, but she was surprised when he said it now. " Yes, Mr. Cutter. I'll bring hot chocolate and marsh mellows."

He nodded his head and kissed her forehead. " Night, Ashley."

" Good night, dad."

* * *

**Connor and Abby's Flat **

Abby was walking up the stairs to her flat, feeling at home already as she walked in the main room, smiling slightly as she saw the Lizards and Rex. She looked over as she saw Connor walk over to the couch and face her.

" Maybe you should have a lie down, eh?" he said.

" Yeah... Connor?" she asked. " Back there on the other side of the anomaly, you said something."

Connor smiled " Yeah. I said a lot of things, didn't I? Mainly 'argghh'." he said.

Abby smiled. " Maybe I didn't hear you right... I thought you said something about how you felt about me."

He was silent for a moment, just staring at the tired girl. " Did I?" he asked after a while, shaking his head.

Abby didn't say anything, just stared at him, looking into his brown eyes. Connor then stared back, his heart pounding. He couldn't believe he said that to her. But he kept looking back at her, not knowing what Abby was thinking. Abby, had never felt this way about anyone. Did she... did she love him too? Or was it al just in her head?

" Abby, I-" Connor started to say, but was cut off by his name being called. He even started to move forwards slightly, but stopped in his tracks.

" Connor?" Caroline's voice floated into the room they were in from the front door, which has opened itself.

Abby closed her eyes, putting her hands in her jean pockets, looking away and walked away from Connor.

" You're not even dressed." Caroline said.

" Not dressed?" Connor asked, looking down at himself. " What do you mean?"

" The theartre, remember?"

Connor froze for a moment, his heart pounding. " Yes, the theartre, of course."

Abby remained away from the couple, her head and heart doing a silent battle of thoughts and feelings.

" Yeah. I'm ready. We should go, yeah?" Connor said, walking towards her.

" Uh-uh." Caroline murmured.

" I'll see you later, Abby." Connor said.

Abby turned and smiled. " Hmm? Sure." she looked down.

Connor nodded and turned away, leaving the way out of the house. Caroline didn't follow, she looked over at Abby.

" Abby, you look absolutely exhausted." she said, causing Abby to look up. " You really must let me talk to you about make-up sometime."

With that, Caroline left, her heels clicking against the floor. Abby felt her heart squeeze as she heard Caroline close the door behind her. Abby turned around and put a hand on her face, she looked up when she heard Rex chirping and fly above her. She sighed once more.

* * *

On a screen the cleaner's face popped up, or the man that Cutter and Ashley had seen just earlier that day. He was in the ARC, looking a bit nervous as he looked at the screen in front of him.

" You realize, you might have compromised this whole ... project. " Leek's voice came.

_" It was a mistake."_ the cleaner said. _" Cutter and his daughter wasn't meant to be there."_ he added.

Leek rolled his eyes. He knew Ashley didn't like him. _" Won't happen again." _

" Well, I hope not, because the consequences for you could be very bad. Now, please try and stay out of sight in the future. It would make life easier for everyone." Leek said with a sigh. The cleaner nodded, looking even more nervous and shut off the camera.

Leek sighed. " Hopefully Cutter and Ashley won't remember him." Leek said, but not to himself. Someone else was in the car with him.

Helen Cutter.

She came from the back seat and Leek felt very nervous. Helen was still mad that the cleaner had hit her own daughter, she might have not gotten a good relationship with her, but she loved her daughter and her husband.

" Ashley... and Nick have an _excellent _memory for faces." Helen said and then smiled. " I hope this doesn't go wrong, Oliver. I'd hate it if I put my faith in the wrong man. Now that I see people very rarely it's hard to know with my judgment not as good as it used to be." _  
_

Leek stayed silent, feeling sweat drip from his forehead and a lump in his throat as Helen continued. " I hope you can deliver what you promised. " she said to him.

" I can. I can." he said quietly. " Remember I have a lot of writing months as well." he said.

Helen smiled and then started playing with his tie, he stiffened as she did. " Then I'm sure everything will be just fine." she said with one stroke of his tie, she was gone.

Leek looked back at the back seats. Yep, she was gone.

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed this! I'm sorry it took so long for me to upload this, I wasn't really feeling well, and when I saved it, my Computer lost its Wi-fi... SO I HAD TO WRITE THE WHOLE THING OVER AGAIN. I worked really hard on this, so I hope you enjoyed and I will try and update some more on every Friday as soon as I can! See you! **

**- Love and HeartBreak21**


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